The former CEO of NL Health Services says he’s confident the Wakeham government won’t abandon the Health Accord that he co-authored.

Dr. Pat Parfrey spoke publicly for the first time yesterday since he was replaced by the new government on January 22 – a year to the day he was appointed by former Premier Andrew Furey.

Parfrey told a St. John’s Rotary luncheon that the key challenges in health care, such as capacity, spending and aging population, must be addressed through new infrastructure – whether it’s hospitals in St. John’s or long-term care facilities in rural areas.

One of the government’s first moves was to cancel the new acute care hospital along Kenmount Road, with renovations of St. Clare’s planned instead.

Nonetheless, Parfrey urged the new government to continue investing in the social determinants of health, or healthy living and habits, as preached in the Health Accord.

“It was created to be able to transcend change in government,” he said. “And from what the new government is saying, I’m confidence that they will adhere to the tenants of the Health Accord – they may implement them differently, that’s their prerogative – but that they will adhere to the tenants of the Health Accord and that will help with these challenges that I’m talking about.”