Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Scott Livingstone steps down

Scott Livingstone is stepping down as CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

In a news release, the SHA announced its board of directors received notice that Livingstone has left his position effective immediately.

“The board is grateful for Scott’s leadership during the creation of the SHA and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” the news release read.

Andrew Will was selected as the interim CEO.

“(Will) has served in executive leadership positions for health regions in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, including chief executive officer of four health regions (and) as acting CEO of the former Saskatoon Health Region,” the release stated.

Will has also served on the executive team for Alberta Health Services as executive vice president of clinical support services. Will also previously served as the CEO of 3sHealth. He is moving to the interim CEO position from his current role as vice president of infrastructure, information and support for the SHA.

The board is expected to release updates on the recruitment of a permanent CEO “as soon as available.”

The SHA said no operations or services have been affected during this time.

Premier thanks Livingstone

Premier Scott Moe said Thursday morning that Livingstone had some significant achievements in his time as SHA CEO and thanked him for his work.

“This is a CEO that helped us really merge a number of health regions across the province into one, has helped really lead the Saskatchewan Health Authority and their operations delivering healthcare across the province through the first 20 months of this pandemic,” said Moe.

Moe said he’s always concerned when they lose someone in a position of government leadership.

“With respect to this specific resignation, I suppose I’d be disappointed, you know, Mr. Livingstone has provided, I think, good leadership through the pandemic and previous to that. But ultimately these things do happen, there’s people that do leave and come and go within government,” said Moe.

The premier said he wasn’t expecting the resignation, but then he isn’t expecting any resignations when they arrive.

Moe said his and Livingstone’s relationship was good, and was firm that it was, indeed, a resignation on the part of Livingstone, that government didn’t push him out. Moe however, wouldn’t say why Livingstone left.

When it comes to healthcare services in the province, Moe said they won’t be disrupted because of the change.