Member, Quality and Safety Committee, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services

Can your voice speak to the lived experience of people in BC receiving treatment for mental health and substance use/addiction issues, people in custody or those who have been referred by the courts for assessment and treatment? BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) is looking for a patient partner to join the Quality and Patient Safety Committee and contribute to their work of ensuring the highest standards for patient safety and quality.

Open to: Patient partners across the province

Lead Organization or Department

BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS)

Aim

The aim of the BCMHSUS Quality and Safety Committee is to create a culture of quality and patient safety across our 35 care sites in BC, including BC Corrections, Forensic Psychiatric Services, and Adult Mental Health and Substance Use Services. The Committee provides strategic direction in the areas of infection prevention and control, pharmacy, medication safety, ethics, and critical incidents. The Patient Partner will provide a critical lens on best practices in quality and patient safety, as patient and family engagement is a vital component in the framework of recovery from mental health and addiction. The Patient Partner will be a voting member on the committee and will provide input and expertise around standing agenda items such as Accreditation readiness, patient safey events and quality improvement projects to ensure that the decisions made will benefit the patient population and their primary supports.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of collaborate on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will work together with you to formulate solutions and incorporate your advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.

Eligibility

Open to patient partners across the province who have: • Lived experience as a patient or family member of corrections, forensics and/or concurrent mental health and addictions services
• Familiarity with the correctional, forensic, and/or mental health and addictions system
• Comfort speaking and contributing in a fast paced committee Please note that informal interviews may form part of the selection process. For those living in the Lower Mainland a site tour will also be available. If you have a strong interest in this work but have not yet completed a PVN orientation and Volunteer Agreement, are unsure if your experience is a good fit or feel another format of engagement would work better with your availability, please contact Cassy Mitchell.

Logistics

• Number of vacancies: 1 (1 patient representative already sits on the committee) • Date and Time: 1st or 2nd Thursday of the month, 1-3pm • Location: In person in Vancouver or via teleconference • Commitment: 7 months to a year, with the possibility for renewal

Reimbursement

For patient partners in the Lower Mainland, transportation related expenses will be reimbursed to attend in person meetings.

Background

The Quality and Safety Committee is a standing oversight committee for the BCMHSUS, and provides strategic direction in the service delivery areas of: - Correctional Health Services - Forensic Psychiatric Services (including the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital and Forensic Regional Clinics) - Adult Mental Health and Substance Use (Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction and Heartwood Centre for Women) The committee is chaired by the Chief Operating Officer. Other members include: - A Patient Representative - The Vice President - The Chief Medical Officer - Executive Directors of Correctional Health Services, Inter-professional Practice, Patient Experience & Clinical Operations - Directors of Quality and Safety, Forensic Clinics, Psychology, Risk Management, Infection Prevention and Control - Medical Directors Potential Risks: Because the topics discussed at this committee can be sensitive, there is a potential risk that the discussion and decisions made will feel uncomfortable for the patient and family partners. To mitigate this, the chair and Director of Patient Experience and Community Engagement will provide ongoing support to the Patient Partner to ensure that the engagement is psychologically and emotionally safe. The committee is fast-paced and there is a potential risk that the Patient Partner will find it difficult to follow. To mitigate this, they will receive a comprehensive orientation to the committee, its history, its purpose and function, and its activities. Throughout their involvement, the chair and Director of Patient Experience and Community Engagement will ensure that the Patient Partner is continually informed and supported to participate meaningfully.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Cassy Mitchell
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement
250.279.0717
cmitchell@bcpsqc.ca