Memorandum
Date: August 24, 2020
To: All George Pearson Centre Staff and Physicians
From: Bob Chapman, Executive Director, Vancouver Community
Dr. Michael Norbury, Associate Senior Medical Director, Vancouver Community
CC: Sarah Jordan, Director, Long Term Care and Assisted Living
Marla Gordon, Medical Director, Long Term Care and Geriatric Programs
Romilda Ang, Manager, George Pearson Centre
Dr. James Dunne, Medical Director, George Pearson Centre
Re: Appreciation for GPC Team
As many of you may have seen, there have been some recent media stories and online social media about various aspects of resident experiences at GPC. We understand the depiction this created of GPC has been hurtful for our care team. We also know the focus is often towards our staff and team.
We want to assure you that we know you are caring for our residents and are following all appropriate practices and procedures. Furthermore, we know you are kind, compassionate and dedicated professionals who work every day in a very complex and challenging environment.
We don’t have control over what and how the media reports out on stories, although we have done our best to provide messaging or comment that reflects the true story of your great work without infringing on privacy.
We also understand there’ve been some cases where social media has been used to the detriment of staff and other residents. Please rest assured that, if this crosses the line in terms of privacy/harassment/untruth, etc., we have made every effort to get those posts taken down or deleted. If you are made aware of any additional social media posts, please do let our digital communications team know at webupdates@vch.ca to see what can be done.
We wanted to recognize that this has been a challenging time for those involved, and for you individually seeing your colleagues and teams being criticized publicly. Please know that we appreciate how hard you work, how much you care and how dedicated you are to the residents and the community you serve. While often the focus publicly is on what hasn’t gone well and a need for improvement, together let’s acknowledge the positive impact you are making – each and every day.
Thank you for your contribution every day!
"We apologize for our actions and our inaction in righting wrongs."
