Nova Scotia auditor general to probe books, practices of children’s hospital

HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s auditor general is passing along records to the police and opening his own investigation into the operations of Atlantic Canada’s largest children’s hospital after an expense scandal involving its top executive erupted in June.

Tracy Kitch, former CEO of the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre, resigned last month after an independent review said she owed more than $22,000 for “potentially personal” expenses charged to her corporate credit card.

In addition, the hospital’s chief financial officer has taken a paid leave of absence since the review was completed of expense claims between August 2014 and June of this year.

In a statement, auditor general Michael Pickup announced Tuesday that he intends to conduct financial and performance audits of the IWK’s books and practices.

Pickup also said the IWK must turn over to police any information related to the former CEO’s expenses for “consideration on any possible legal matters.”

He said he and his staff have been meeting with IWK officials and reviewing public reports, but they have yet to conduct any detailed audits.

“I am gravely concerned with the ineffectiveness of financial controls and lack of rigor in financial management as publicly reported by the IWK in recent weeks,” Pickup said in his statement.

In addition, Mr. Pickup said he will become the annual financial statement auditor of IWK, beginning April 1 of next year.

“As part of early planning, it is expected that a performance audit will cover critical aspects of oversight, financial management and controls on expenditures.”

The results of all performance audits will be reported publicly to the Nova Scotia Legislature, as well as any significant financial statement audit results.

A review by the accounting firm Grant Thornton found last month that there were “significant delays” in the submission of claims by the chief executive, which limited the hospital’s ability to identify potential issues.

The report, issued after CBC raised questions about IWK expense accounts, found Kitch had been allotted 10 days annually for professional development but exceeded that by 14 days in 2015 and seven days in 2016.

It found the IWK paid for membership fees beyond those contractually agreed to, including the Air Canada Maple Leaf Club Lounge and membership in the College of Registered Nurses of Ontario.

The report also found Kitch performed a review of the Montreal Children’s Hospital, and was compensated with an honorarium and expense reimbursement. But travel expenses were charged to the IWK and not reimbursed upon receipt of payment.

Among items seen as potentially personal, the report detailed $26,463.80 for flight pass usage; $4,636.55 for mobile data overages; $4,474.34 for taxis; $1,580.31 for hotel-related costs; $394.75 for meals; and $161.40 in iTunes charges.

“Hotel costs include a hotel stay by a family member of the CEO during a visit to Halifax, as well as hotel charges related to a personal trip to the U.S. that were charged to the corporate credit card,” the report found.

In a statement, the IWK said its board has endorsed all of the report’s findings and approved its 14 recommendations.

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