
Dr. Alex Summers named new medical officer of health for Middlesex-London
CBC
Less than a week after the ouster of Dr. Chris Mackie as the medical officer of health for the London-Middlesex Health Unit, his deputy Dr. Alex Summers has been named to the top job.
The announcement was made Wednesday, two days after the health unit told the public that Mackie had resigned from the role at the end of last week. Mackie's departure came after a four-month leave of absence during which Summers has been acting in the top role.
Summers was hired by the region's health unit in 2018. In 2019, his salary was listed as $234,497 on Ontario's public sector salary disclosure list (known informally as the Sunshine List, which lists those who make more than $100,000).
In 2020, his salary jumped to $338,133, a year when he and Mackie worked a lot of overtime because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Summers has been the public voice of the health unit for months, since Mackie went on an unexplained, indefinite leave of absence in November.
"Dr. Summers is someone who has the vision, expertise and commitment to our community and the health unit," said board chair Matt Reid.