Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To assist the Chief Medical Officer of Health/Assistant Deputy Minister (CMOH/ADM) Public Health Division in providing the necessary leadership, strategic decision making and direction to promote and protect the health of Ontarians. To carry out all legal and programmatic responsibilities in the absence of the CMOH/ADM and represent the interests of Ontarios public health system with a diverse range of stakeholders at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Within an assigned portfolio of either Health Protection, Health Promotion or Public Health System Policy & Planning, the position:
1. Exercises power, and holds statutory responsibility, as outlined under Sections 81.1 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, including: performing function and duties as the Chief Medical Officer of Health may specify in writing and shall act in the place of the CMOH when the CMOH is absent or unable to perform the functions of his or her office or when the office of CHOM is vacant.

2. Provides strategic planning, policy and priority setting analysis and direction in support of the role of the CMOH/ADM
including developing and making presentations to Cabinet and Cabinet Committees on behalf of the CMOH/ADM and assisting in the preparation of the annual written report on the state of public health to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

3. Provides medical leadership and strategic issues analysis advice to the CMOH/ADM and senior ministry officials on significant external developments which impact ministry priorities and strategic plans. Advises on state-of-the-art disease prevention, health protection and health promotion standards, principles, practices and trends to achieve the Governments strategic directions.

4. Provides proactive risk assessment, management and communications and directs investigations of major health
issues to articulate the governments response to the risk/potential risk and ensure actions are taken to prevent, eliminate or reduce health risks to the public. Responds to media requests for briefings, conducts public speaking engagements and presentations on behalf of the CMOH/ADM and makes policy recommendations to promote and protect health. Supports the CMOH/ADM in leading and coordinating Ontario‘s public health response to public health emergencies and outbreaks; directing and mobilizing staff in emergency and outbreak situations, in collaboration with other ministries in the OPS and the Federal government; and through discussions and negotiations for Shared Services Agreements at the local, national and international levels.

6. Provides professional consultant advice, programmatic direction and technical information regarding key public health initiatives, programs and services in order to promote excellence and support compliance with legislation, regulations and policy. Ensures that comprehensive, authoritative medical expertise, and consultative advice are available to Ontarios Public Health Units.

7. Provides leadership in evidence-based decision-making, guided by the highest level of scientific expertise and inquiry
in all aspects of the organization, focusing on knowledge translation and the application of research in practice including the synthesis and translation of literature reviews in support of policy decision making.

8. Provides direction and leadership in the strategic application of public health informatics and business intelligence to support the divisions policy and long-range planning activities relating to the investigation and control of communicable diseases, immunization programs, public health emergency preparedness, environmental health hazards and health promotion and protection in Ontario.

9. Provides leadership in promoting evidence-informed practice in the areas of population health assessment, surveillance, research and program evaluation, which contributes to the public health knowledge base and improvement of public health programs and services.

10. Supports the CMOH/ADM in ensuring that Ministry, divisional and sector priorities are identified and communicated to the Ontario Public Health Agency for Health Protection and Promotion and to inform the strategic plan of the Agency. Works with the CMOH/ADM to ensure that effective linkages and protocols are maintained with the Agency.

11. Represents the CMOH /ADM and exercises authority and decision-making in inter-ministerial deliberations (e.g. Health Promotion, Children and Youth Services, Community and Social Services, Education, Environment, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Labour, Natural Resources, Government Services) of significance to public health programming and delivery.

12. Represents Ontarios interests and exercises authority and decision-making on behalf of the CMOH/ADM with external colleagues and stakeholders (e.g. Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Agency, Pan-Canadian Health Network, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Association of Local Public Health Agencies, Ontario Public Health Association). Initiates, develops and manages stakeholder relations and linkages and facilitates alignment with federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) as well as cross-border and international initiatives. Analyzes and reports on the impact to Ontario.

13. Manages assigned multi-disciplinary staff: hiring staff, providing leadership and motivation, providing orientation, training and development opportunities, determining performance standards, developing performance measures and workplans, conducting performance reviews, and handling a broad range of employee relations matters.

14. Develops and maintains relationships with Division/Ministries senior management for effective program development, delivery and evaluation, operations and management. Ensures programs and policies are developed within the mandate, strategic directions and guiding values of the Ministry/Government. Implements outcome-based decision-making for reporting and accountability on the basis of integrated financial and non-financial performance; ensures the integration of comprehensive risk management with decision-making and oversees the operation of a sound system of process, infrastructure and organizational controls.

15. Acts as a mentor to Division physician colleagues to support their learning and development and acts as a key representative of the public health system to encourage students to consider public health careers. Contributes to the development of the public health practice by facilitating student education and training for Medical Officers of Health.

16. As a member of the Divisional management team, provides input to decision-making and strategic direction setting.

UNIQUE RESPONSIBILITES BY PORTFOLIO

HEALTH PROTECTION
Provides specialized health protection expertise and direction in the prevention and control of infectious disease in Ontario through multi-jurisdictional disease surveillance, policy and legislation, technical expertise, programs, outbreak analysis and management, evaluation and research. Contributes a human health perspective to environmental policy and related issues (air quality and climate change, drinking water protection, land use and sprawl management, cleaner energy sources, etc.).

Provides leadership to enhance the capacity of local public health system and health service providers to prevent and control infectious diseases and to support the legal duty of medical officers of health to investigate, prevent and reduce the human health impacts arising from environmental hazards (unclean food and water, contaminated soil, etc.).

HEALTH PROMOTION
Provides specialized health promotion expertise and direction to guide policy and program development and champions health promotion and chronic disease prevention with a view to inspiring individuals, organizations, communities and governments to create a culture of health and well-being in Ontario.

PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM POLICY AND PLANNING
Provides specialized health system policy and planning expertise and direction in the development and implementation of strategic policy and planning initiatives, ensuring the ministry has access to state-of-the-art medical and public health system knowledge, standards, practices and trends at both the municipal and provincial levels of government to strengthen public health governance and ensure uniform high standards of health protection and promotion across the province.

Provides strategic oversight and operational direction for the development and implementation of the framework to drive critical change and revitalization of the public health system in Ontario, through a range of bold, system-wide changes and program initiatives to make the public health system stronger, more responsive and sustainable for future generations.

Knowledge :

Formal Education: A degree in medicine from a university of recognised standing and a Fellowship in Community Medicine from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. A licence to practice medicine in Ontario with minimum five years standing as a physician. Qualifications prescribed under the Health Protection and Promotion Act for a medical officer of health.
Skills and Knowledge: Extensive knowledge and understanding of the field of public health, including emerging trends and issues, particularly in the areas of communicable disease control, population health, environmental health, health promotion and wellness, and chronic disease and injury prevention to assist the Chief Medical Officer of Health/Assistant Deputy Minister (CMOH/ADM) Public Health Division in providing the necessary leadership, strategic decision-making and direction to promote and protect the health of Ontarians, to act in the place of the CMOH as outlined in the Health Protection and Promotion Act and to provide medical leadership and strategic issues analysis advice on state-of-the-art disease prevention, health protection and health promotion standards, principles, practices and trends. Knowledge and understanding of evidence-informed practice in the areas of population health assessment, surveillance, research and program evaluation, knowledge translation and the application of research in practice including the synthesis and translation of literature reviews in support of policy decision making. Understanding of the strategic application of public health informatics and business intelligence to support the divisions policy and long-range planning activities.

Comprehensive knowledge of the governments directions and objectives for the public health system, understanding of government decision-making and legislative, policy development and best business practices and processes to provide leadership in public health system policy and planning development initiatives, to develop and make presentations to Cabinet and Cabinet Committees and to provide strategic oversight and operational direction for the development and implementation of the framework to drive critical change and revitalization of the public health system in Ontario.

Expert knowledge and interpretative understanding of the Health Protection and Promotion Act to exercise ACMOH legal powers under the Act and understanding of relevant legislation (e.g. Smoke-Free Ontario Act, Immunization of School Pupils Act, Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004) ) to provide strategic direction regarding policies and programs under a variety of legislative authorities.

Strategic issues analysis skills and understanding of risk assessment and management to provide proactive assessment, management and communications of major health issues. Superior leadership and management skills to provide direction of an assigned portfolio, leadership to the public health system and act as a mentor to Division physician colleagues.
Stakeholder management and partnership skills to develop and maintain relationships with Division/Ministry senior management and to represent Ontarios interests with external colleagues and stakeholders at the federal, provincial and territorial levels and cross borders. Financial management skills to assess feasibility, risk factors and impact of proposed decisions on funding initiatives. Superior communication and negotiating skills to provide influence to senior officials and other public/community health professionals, to collaborate with other medical professionals, to enlist cooperation and acceptance of recommendations, to present convincing,
informed and well-substantiated policy/legislation recommendations and to support CMOH/ADM in preparing the annual report to the Legislature on the state of public health in Ontario. Presentation skills to represent Ontarios public health achievements and concerns in inter-provincial/national/international committee forums and to the Legislature. Strategic planning and organizational skills to simultaneously address numerous high profile public health issues.

Judgement :

Position works under the direction of the Chief Medical Officer of Health/Assistant Deputy Minister and exercises statutory powers under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Broad information and guidance are also available through medical ethics, Ministry guidelines, standards, and technical journals. Position exercises a high level of judgement, both medically and operationally, when assisting the CMOH/ADM in providing the necessary leadership, strategic decision-making and direction to promote and protect the health of Ontarians while managing an assigned portfolio to support the ministries directions for a revitalized public health system. Judgement is exercised in providing advice to the CMOH/ADM and senior ministry officials on significant external developments which impact ministry priorities and strategic plans; in providing proactive risk assessment, management and communications and articulating the governments response to the risk/potential risk. Judgement is exercised in promoting evidence-informed practice in the areas of population health assessment, surveillance, research and program evaluation, which contribute to the public health knowledge base and improvement of public health programs and services; and in ensuring that Ministry, divisional and sector priorities are identified and communicated to the Ontario Public Health Agency for Health Protection and Promotion and executed in the strategic plan of the Agency. Judgement is exercised in directing and mobilizing staff in emergency and outbreak situations, representing Ontarios interests and exercising authority and decision-making on behalf of the CMOH/ADM with external
colleagues and stakeholders and in ensuring the integration of comprehensive risk management with decision-making and overseeing the operation of a sound system of process, infrastructure and organizational controls.

Accountability - Programs :

As a senior public health physician within the provincial government, accountable to address specific duties and exercise statutory powers under the Health Protection and Promotion Act by performing function and duties as the Chief Medical Officer of Health may specify in writing and act in the place of the CMOH when the CMOH is absent or unable to perform the functions of his or her office or when the office of CHOM is vacant. Assists the Chief Medical Officer of Health/Assistant Deputy Minister (CMOH/ADM) Public Health Division in providing the necessary leadership, strategic decision making and direction to promote and protect the health of Ontarians. Provides strategic leadership of an assigned portfolio of either Health Protection, Health Promotion or Public Health System Policy & Planning. Provides strategic oversight and operational direction for the development and implementation of the framework to drive critical change and revitalization of the public health system in Ontario, through a range of bold, system wide changes and program initiatives to make the public health system stronger, more responsive and sustainable for future generations.

Accountability – Personnel :

Leads a diverse team of public health discipline specialists, professionals, policy and administrative leaders within an assigned portfolio.

Accountability - Finance and Materials :

Manages an assigned portfolio and administration and approval of transfer payments, ensuring adequate monitoring and control of large multi-million dollar transfer payments. Provides leadership for the planning and management of portfolio budgets.

Accountability - Impact of Errors :

Ineffective exercise of powers under the HPPA could seriously jeopardize the health of the public of
Ontario, resulting in criticism of the CMOH/ADM and the government to effectively respond to a range of actual or perceived public health risks and/or issues. Ineffective leadership of an assigned portfolio would result in ineffective policy and program development and commitment to a renewed public health system in Ontario. Ineffective leadership could result in inappropriate initiatives being adopted at the provincial, municipal and national levels and public/media criticism. Inappropriate decisions could result in an ineffective public health delivery system further resulting in increased untimely deaths due to illness and loss of public confidence in the health care system.

Contact - Internal :

Frequent contact with colleagues at all levels of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Ministry of Health Promotion, including the Ministers to develop and maintain relationships for effective program development, delivery and evaluation, operations and management and to provide strategic leadership and direction on all issues. Regular contact with the ministries Communication and Information Branches, to exchange information and clarify/present Public Health Division positions. Frequent contact with colleague senior executives in other ministries (e.g. Health Promotion, Children and Youth Services, Community and Social Services, Education, Environment, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Labour, Natural Resources, Government Services ) to represent the CMOH /ADM and exercise authority and decision-making in inter-ministerial deliberations. Occasional contact with the Premiers Office to respond to inquiries and to provide briefings, expertise and advice on response to health emergencies in Ontario on behalf of the CMOH/ADM.

Contact - External :

Frequent contact with officials of the federal, municipal and other governmental jurisdictions to develop critical collaborative efforts and initiatives; with boards of health, Medical Officers of Health, hospitals, universities, community colleges and other organizations (e.g., Cancer Care Ontario) to provide leadership and advice and to exchange information; and to exercise authority under the HPPA as required. Frequent contact with medical schools, community colleges and their committees to exchange information on the co-ordination of public health issues and objectives and to champion health promotion in Ontario. Represents the CMOH/ADM and Province in dealing with public emergencies/disasters (on call 24 hours 7 days a week). Regular contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international health bodies to represent the CMOH/ADM.