Saskatoon Health Region CEO Maura Davies quits

The Saskatoon Regional Health Authority (SRHA) announced its President and CEO, Maura Davies, is stepping down.

The SRHA asked Davies to resign.

Now was the right time to begin a shift in leadership, the SRHA said, since Davies said two years ago she was nearing retirement.

Jim Rhode, chair of the Saskatoon Regional Health Authority, answered journalists' questions about Davies' resignation on Friday morning.

Rhode said the decision to ask Davies to quit was unanimously agreed upon during a vote by board members at a special, in-camera meeting, held last week.

"It does come down to timing, we have a number of things moving forward and we felt the timing in which she was willing to retire doesn't match what we were trying to do."

Rhode explained that problems under Davies' leadership did not factor into the decision. Rather, the board felt it needed a leader to oversee projects like The Children's Hospital and the Lean-based management system from start to finish.

"We wanted to have a leader that is consistent and in place from the beginning to the end of those projects in that sense," Rhode said.

Davies was offered a continued role with health transformation in the province, the health region said. However, she declined.

Rhode said because the board asked Davies to leave, she will receive severance. This will include 12 months salary, which totals $382,351 plus applicable benefits.

Davies will stay on as President and CEO until Dec. 1. Rhode said the region is looking to replace Davies with someone from Saskatchewan.