Member, Island Health Patient Advisory Council

Island Health is seeking patients and family members who would like to join the Island Health Patient Advisory Council. As a member of the council, you can share your experiences and ideas, and provide recommendations to help shape improvements to patient experience and care delivery!

Open to: Patient partners across the Island Health region

Lead Organization or Department

Island Health, Patient Experience

Aim

Created in 2008, the Patient Advisory Council (PAC) is a formal group of volunteer patients, family members, and Island Health staff and physicians from across the geographical areas served by Island Health, who bring rich life and work experience and personal perspectives to our health care system. The purpose of Island Health’s PAC is to: • Work in collaboration with Island Health team members to advance patient- and family-centred care and patient engagement across Island Health. • Speak from experience to support health care in which patients have control over their own choices and are being supported to make informed decisions about their own health and care. • Reinforce that the lived experiences of patients and what matters to them is essential in guiding planning, processes and decision-making within Island Health

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of collaborate (at a local community or program level) on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will look to you for advice in decision making, developing alternatives, and solutions and include your recommendations into the decision as much as possible.

Eligibility

• Open to patient partners from across the Island Health region.
• Experience (personal or family) receiving care from Island Health within the last 5 years.
• Can work respectfully in partnership with a variety of other people, including patients, family members, and health care team leaders/members.
• Can share ideas and experiences in a positive way.
• Able to draw on their personal health care experience to influence a system that serves large numbers of people with diverse needs.

We are seeking people who represent diverse perspectives, which may include but are not limited to geography/neighbourhood, culture, ethnic or national origin, marital status, age, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, income variety, education, work experience, genetic characteristics, family status, disability, and/or experiences with health challenges or health care. The composition of the PAC is guided by the desire to learn and to share perspectives and experiences from across a diverse population and broad demographic balance. Please note: This opportunity is not open to patient partners who are currently employed by Island Health. The placement process for this opportunity may include an informal interview between the volunteer and the health care partner. It is preferred that all applicants will have already completed the PVN orientation process, but please contact Kira Tozer directly to see if accomodations may be possible.

Logistics

Number of vacancies: 4-5 Date/Time: The PAC will meet 10 times per year, on the fourth Friday of every month, excluding August and December. Each meeting will be 4 hours in duration, from 10am – 2pm. Shifting the day and time of PAC meetings may be considered based on the needs of members. Location: Meetings are in person, with additional options to connect by video conference or teleconference depending on the specific needs of members. Locations of meeting rooms may be reconsidered depending on the needs of membership. The meetings are regularly held in person, in two different locations: Victoria and mid-Island (e.g. Ladysmith). These two meetings rooms are connected by video conference. Three times per year, meetings are held in one location in order to bring the full group together in person. Commitment: PAC members must commit 7-10 hours each month to travel to, prepare for, and attend at least 7 PAC meetings per year. PAC members spend 1-2 hours per month to read materials in preparation for meetings. In order to keep projects moving forward, PAC members also provide timely feedback as requested in between meetings.

• Term: Term membership will be for three years. Following completion of the three year term and upon consultation with the co-chairs, council members who are interested in renewing their membership, can express interest in one further term. Upon request and in consultation with the co-chairs, members may request a leave of absence for up to one year without removing themselves from the group.

Reimbursement

PAC related expenses will be reimbursed by Island Health, such as mileage, parking, and accommodations. Please let us know if there are other challenges that may make participation difficult, such as caring for a family member(s), or requiring an interpreter.

Background

The Council is comprised of 12 – 14 patient advisors, 1-2 practicing physicians, and a maximum of 6 Island Health team members/employees. The Council has membership from each Island Health geographic region. The Council strives to include representation from Indigenous peoples. The PAC helps to support a culture where: 1. The experiences of patients and families continually shape improvements to how care is provided within Island Health. 2. The right to feel culturally safe is everyone’s right:“Cultural safety is recognizing, gaining knowledge, and respecting the differences in each individual Island Health serves. This also means decreasing health disparities for Aboriginal peoples and increasing access to health care for Aboriginal peoples.” 3. Patients are meaningful partners in their health and care and feel the service and quality of care they receive is excellent

Health Care Partner Contact Information

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