Interior Health appoints Sylvia Weir as CEO

KELOWNA, BC – Interior Health has officially named Sylvia Weir (pictured) as its permanent CEO. She has served as interim head of the organization since June. “I’m really excited to take on the opportunity on a permanent basis,” said Weir, who steps into the role previously held by Susan Brown.

Weir has experience with the health authority, having previously led IH’s finance and infrastructure teams and managing relationships with external partners. Weir says she’s spent her time so far connecting with communities, physicians, and staff across the Southern Interior. While optimistic, she acknowledges the road ahead won’t be easy.

“There are challenges – no doubt about it,” she told Global News.

Those challenges have placed Interior Health under intense scrutiny in recent years. From hospital staffing shortages to service disruptions, the health authority has faced growing pressure to rebuild trust.

BC Conservative MLA Gavin Dew, who represents Kelowna-Mission, says it’s time for a fresh start. “I choose to be optimistic that this is an opportunity for a reset,” said Dew. “We clearly need to rebuild trust and confidence within the system for both the people in it, and those who depend on it.”

This summer, Kelowna General Hospital’s pediatric unit was forced to close due to staffing shortages, part of a wider issue also affecting maternity care. Weir says the health authority is rolling out a new mat-child-youth program to directly address those needs.

That program covers babies, from the beginning of life through childhood and youth,” Weir said. “We have issues with youth mental health, and also with parents and mothers who need care.”

But the issues run deeper. A shortage of physicians continues to shutter emergency rooms across the region. Weir says she’s been meeting with local leaders to better tailor recruitment and care models to each community’s unique needs.

“I’ve been meeting with the mayors asking, ‘What’s the model that works for you?’” she said. “What do you want to tell potential recruits about your community? We’re building unique programs in different places.”

Burnout, safety concerns, and patient-care sacrifices are also weighing on frontline staff, especially ER doctors who say their concerns have often gone unheard.

“I’m very aware of those challenges,” Weir said. “And the very real concerns around safety, particularly in some of our departments. They’ll be top of mind for us moving forward.”

For Dew, that commitment can’t come soon enough.

“I’m not going to stop advocating to make sure that the people who work in the system, and the people who rely on it can have trust that it’s actually working properly,” he said.

And that message may finally be resonating. According to Weir, rebuilding relationships and restoring confidence is exactly what she’s aiming for as Interior Health’s new CEO.

Weir brings more than 25 years of experience in health care in both Canada and the United Kingdom to the table as well as a “strong commitment to compassionate leadership.”

According to Interior Health, Weir’s leadership has laid the foundation to better support positive working relationships with employees and medical staff as well as key government leaders and external partners.

It also notes Weir has demonstrated her deep commitment to advancing reconciliation and working collaboratively with community partners by building strong relationships.

“As we considered a full slate of candidates, it became clear that Sylvia brings the right mix of values-based leadership, vision and financial acumen to enable the efficient and effective delivery of front-line clinical services to support the achievement of IH’s vision,” Dr. Robert Halpenny, chair of the IH Board of Directors, added in a statement.

In addition to her role at Interior Health, Weir has been a Board member of the Kelowna Women’s Shelter for the past seven years and a current board member of the provincial Healthcare Benefit Trust.

Based in Kelowna, Weir is also an Immigrant Employment Mentor with the Kelowna Community Resources Centre.