John McGarry set to retire from Horizon Health Network
President and CEO says decision not to seek contract renewal in January unrelated to policy disagreements
John McGarry says his decision not to try to renew his contract as the president and CEO of the Horizon Health Network is not related to any disagreement over policy with the provincial government.
It "had nothing to do with any receptivity to any thoughts that I or my organization had," McGarry told reporters on Thursday.
McGarry, 64, did say, however, that he's disappointed by the lack of success in encouraging co-operation among the regions Horizon covers, and co-operation with the francophone health network, Vitalité.
Turf issues need to be settled, he said.
"I think we have a long way to go to really have it work together, very seamlessly and like a good engine as Horizon Health. And not as Saint John, Moncton, Fredericton, Miramichi..."
McGarry made the statements after advising Horizon's board of directors he will not try to renew his four-year contract when it expires in January.
Employees of the health authority, physicians and volunteers were informed of McGarry's impending retirement in a memo on Thursday.
"It is my plan to slow down, spend more time with family and new grandchildren and look at other opportunities that might be a bit easier on an aging body," McGarry stated in the memo.
McGarry, who was appointed the head of the Horizon Health Network in February 2013, says he made up his mind to step down a long time ago.
"It just seems a reasonable time to say, 'I've had enough of doing what I'm doing,'" he said. "I have some family that's moving away and growing and I want to spend more time with them, so it sounds to me like it's the right time to do this."
He says whoever takes over at the helm will have to continue making difficult decisions, managing public expectations with limited provincial resources.
Horizon is the largest of the province's two health authorities. It operates 12 hospitals and more than 100 medical facilities, clinics and offices.
McGarry has worked in various aspects of health care administration for 36 years.
"The challenges in health care are enormous but working with all of you on this team has been personally rewarding for me," McGarry said in the memo.
McGarry will continue in the role of president and CEO until his successor is in place.
With files from Matthew Bingley