Interior Health Authority CEO Susan Brown is seen in undated photo.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Interior Health Authority
June 27, 2025 - 10:11 AM
The CEO of Interior Health is stepping down since Kelowna General Hospital hasn’t been able to find enough doctors to reopen the pediatric ward.
Interior Health CEO Susan Brown was set to retire at the end of the year, but she’s resigning early after the controversial closure and pressure from politicians, according to a press release from the Interior Health Authority.
Sylvia Weir is getting promoted from chief financial officer to interim CEO. Weir has worked in health care for 25 years in the United Kingdom and Canada.
“On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Susan Brown for her unwavering commitment and service to Interior Health and the health and well-being of the communities we serve during the particularly challenging times of COVID-19 and a global health care worker shortage,” Interior Health board chair Dr. Robert Halpenny said in the release.
Brown’s early retirement comes after local BC Conservative MLAs, Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew, Kelowna Centre MLA Kristina Loewen and West Kelowna-Peachland MLA Macklin McCall, have been putting pressure on IH leadership.
READ MORE: TOXIC CULTURE: Kelowna MLAs meet with Interior Health CEO to express leadership concerns
Brown isn’t leaving right away. She's going to stick around to help the leadership transition.
The KGH 10-bed inpatient pediatric unit has been closed for weeks due to staffing issues and Interior Health has been trying to fill those spots. Interior Health said it hired four new physicians for the department, but it still isn’t enough to reopen the unit.
Interior Health said it’s going to work with the medical staff association and Doctors of BC to address the staffing issues long-term. It also said the plan is to appoint a neutral, third-party facilitator to give the health authority some direction on improving pediatric care at KGH.
Interior Health said it is going to reopen the unit as soon as possible but didn't provide a specific date.
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