Member, Intersections of Care Substance Use Working Group

Join health care teams in the Southern Gulf Islands in the creation of a new care model for managing substance use withdrawal and supporting patient recovery! This is a unique opportunity for a big picture-thinking team player with lived experience to help ensure the project is designed in a way that meets the needs of local patients, families and communities.

Open to: Patient partners from the Southern Gulf Islands

Lead Organization or Department

Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice and Island Health

Aim

One of the project aims is to better understand the challenges faced by persons living with substance use in the Southern Gulf Islands and to adapt the services available to better meet their needs.  As part of this project, a Substance Use Working Group has been assembled to design, develop and implement an inter-professional model of care for substance use using those resources available on the Southern Gulf Islands The project team values the experiential perspective of patients and community members and are actively seeking people with lived experience (those who have previously experienced problematic substance use, personally or as a family member) to join the substance use working group and provide a patient voice.   Specifically, it is hoped that patient partners can contribute in the following ways:

• Attend working group meetings, share a patient perspective and lens on issues discussed, and contribute ideas and opinions that will help to inform a program design that meets the needs of patients, caregivers and families’ patients, families and caregivers;
• Participate in activities or events of the working group to engage with members of the community as part of the committee; and
• Provide a consistent commitment to the committee or working group, making an effort to attend as many meetings as they are able.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of consult on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will listen to and acknowledge your ideas and concerns, and provide feedback on how your input affected the decision.

Eligibility

• Full-time, year-round residents of the Southern Gulf Islands (Salt Spring, Mayne, Galiano, Pender or Saturna) ideally who have lived in the community for a minimum of three years.
• Lived experience of problem substance use, whether as a patient, caregiver or family member
• Comfortable speaking in group settings
• Ability to reflect on and share personal experiences in a way that respects and is relevant to the scope of the project. An open mind and capacity to respectfully acknowledge opposing viewpoints will be required.

Please note: This opportunity is not open to patient partners who are currently employed in the health care system. Preference will be given to candidates with a layperson understanding of health systems. The placement process for this opportunity may include an informal interview between the patient partner and the health care partner. Selected patient partners may be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement Applicants must have previously attended a Patient Voices Network orientation session and completed the Volunteer Agreement. A session will be scheduled for those new to Patient Voices Network. Contact Kira Tozer directly for more information.

Logistics

Number of vacancies: 1-2 Date/Time: TBD. Meetings to be held every couple of months.  Likely Thursday or Fridays for 1-2 hours during standard business hours. Location: Salt Spring Island. Teleconference or video conference participation will be possible. Commitment: Six-month commitment to start; subject to extension by mutual consent.

Reimbursement

For those local to Salt Spring Island, pre-approved costs to attend meetings will be reimbursed by the Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice using project funding.  For patient partners on other Gulf Islands, participation via teleconference is typical; however, in-person meetings may be arranged and reimbursed.

Background

Intersections of Care is a collaborative project between the Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice, Island Health and Dr. David Montalbetti, Psychiatrist.  The Substance Use Working Group also includes representation from BC Emergency Health Services and Island Health Mental Health & Substance Use Services.  In addition to substance use, the broader Intersections of Care project is also working to address issues related to chronic pain, accessibility of care and developing a richer understanding of needs and prevalence on the Southern Gulf Islands.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Kira Tozer
Engagement Leader, Patient & Public Engagement | Vancouver Island
250.888.4525
ktozer@bcpsqc.ca