The Royal’s board of trustees has appointed Dr. Gail Beck as interim chief of staff effective September 1, 2022.
Beck will replace Dr. Raj Bhatla, who is shifting his focus to his clinical practice and will continue at The Royal as a frontline psychiatrist with the Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinic.
“Over the past 16 years in his role of chief of staff, Dr. Bhatla’s dedication to our colleagues, our clients, and our families, has made a significant and lasting impact, not just within our organization but in the broader community as well,” says Beck. “His leadership will be missed.”
Although Beck is excited about this latest chapter in her career, she’s also looking forward to the new opportunities the position brings to shine the spotlight on the hard work and dedication of her colleagues.
“The staff at The Royal, and not just the clinical staff, have tremendous compassion for the clients we look after,” says Beck. “Being interim chief of staff will give me an opportunity to support their efforts and a platform to speak about that, and promote the work that we do as a hospital and an institution in the region.”
Beck has worked at The Royal since 2002, most recently as the clinical director of the Youth Psychiatry Program. Her clinical work is in child psychiatry with adolescents and young adults.
Beck speaks and writes extensively about youth mental health and shares her expertise at DrGailBeck.com.
Over the years, she has also taken an active role within the broader medical community. Beck is currently on the board of Algonquin College. She also served on the board and executive of the Ontario Medical Association from 2007 to 2017. She has also served on the board of – and worked extensively with – the Canadian Medical Association.
Beck is a strong advocate for women in medicine and women’s health and was a leader in organizations such as the Federation of Medical Women of Canada and the Medical Women's International Association.
Beck has received many accolades for her work including the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She is a Member of the Order of Ontario for her work with children and youth.
As interim chief of staff, Beck will also continue to ensure the quality and safety of care provided to clients remains at the highest level.
“Quality and safety are of the utmost importance as we look towards the future and co-creating access, hope and new possibilities for people with mental health and substance use health needs through the convergence of client and family-oriented care, science, education and lived expertise,” says Sharon Squire, chair of the board of trustees.
Dr. Smita Thatte will take on the role of interim clinical director of the Youth Psychiatry Program.