SSO to become a division of the Provincial Health Services Authority

BC’s six health authorities have decided to transfer operations of the BC Health Authority Shared Services Organization (SSO) into PHSA. SSO will maintain its vision, goals and structure and move intact into PHSA. SSO services to the health authorities will, in future, be provided by a new division of PHSA called Health Shared Services BC (HSSBC).

SSO was created by the health authorities to enhance value to the health system through effective and efficient delivery of specified support services. Over the last 14 months, the SSO has matured and expanded as an organization. SSO is currently accountable for Supply Chain across all six health authorities including Accounts Payable for IH, PHSA and VCH-PHC, Technology Services for FH, PHSA and VCH-PHC, Payroll and Accounts Receivable for VCH-PHC and PHSA.

As the SSO continues to grow, it is necessary to ensure the appropriate systems and supports are in place to enable its effective operations as a substantial business entity. By transferring into PHSA, SSO can benefit from our infrastructure and systems. The decision also leverages PHSA’s role in providing services across the province. Employees providing services through HSSBC will become employees of PHSA. It is anticipated that the transition of employees from the health authorities to PHSA will take place later this summer.

SSO’s success to-date is a measure of the collaborative approach and the quality of the relationships that exist within this unique organization. Although PHSA will assume legal and fiduciary accountability for SSO, in order to preserve the collaborative approach to provincial shared services, the current SSO board will become the HSSBC Management Board. As currently, the members will include the CEOs of all health authorities, a representative from Ministry of Health Services and two independent representatives. The new HSSBC Management Board will continue to have system-wide planning responsibility and provide strategic leadership as it relates to the provision of shared services to the health authorities. There is strong commitment from all of the health authorities to build on the success SSO has already achieved.