Response from CDS: Update On Occupational Health Inspections 8 May 2018

8 May 2018

Mr. Gary Walbourne
Ombudsman 
100 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, ON K1P 5M1

Dear Mr. Walbourne,

In your letter dated 15 February 2018, following a March 2015 visit to 12 Wing Shearwater, you noted concerns regarding the completion rates and timeliness of workplace health inspections (WHI). In your review, you indicated that his was attributed to a shortage of Preventive Medicine Technicians (PMed Tech) and civilian technologists. Your concerns and findings were duly noted and have provided us with an opportunity to examine the issues more closely. I would like to offer the following comments and update in response to your concerns.

The minimum qualification to conduct a WHI is a Qualification Level (QL) 6A PMed Tech. As you indicated, the PMed trade is currently under strength resulting in fewer qualified techs and subsequent deficiences in WHI completion rates. The challenges experienced by the PMed occupation are being analysed by the Canadian Forces Health Services Group Headquarters (CF H Svcs GP HQ) and mitigation measures are being developed.

In an effort to support WHI on our bases/wings, additional QL 6A PMed Tech course was added to this year’s production cycle at the Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre in Borden. This course will produce an additional 12 PMed Techs capable of completing WHI. In addition, we have hired civilian technicians at some of our PMed offices. These civilian technicians have contributed to improvements in the completion rates of monthly WHI.

The CF H Svcs HQ is committed to the provision of occupational health services to CAF bases/wings. A tool has been developed that provides an occupational health workshop inventory to assist with these inspections. CH H Svcs GP HQ is taking measures to further improve the completion rates of WHI by providing implicit direction and prioritization of these tasks with our unit Commanding Officers and Base/Wing Surgeons.

In closing, I thank you for your observations and trust that I have addressed your concerns.

Sincerely,

 

J.H Vance
General

c.c. Minister of National Defence

Deputy Minister  

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