Resident, Patient and Family Representative – Residential Services Clinical Governance Council

Join the Residential Services Clinical Governance Council and use your lived experience as a patient, resident, or family member to positively impact the quality of life for approximately 5,471 people receiving residential care services in Island Health!

Open to: Patient partners in the Vancouver Island region

Lead Organization or Department

Residential Services, Island Health

Aim

The Residential Services Clinical Governance Council (the Council) is committed to building a culture and processes that support safe, high quality care, and to providing leadership and direction for quality improvement priorities in residential and complex care facilities affiliated with Island Health. The participation of patients, residents, families and informal caregivers as part of the Council is critical to ensuring that its quality improvement priorities reflect the needs and goals of residents. Resident and family representation will help to positively impact the overall quality of life for residents by identifying and providing input on areas for quality improvement from the perspective of those receiving care.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of involve on the spectrum of engagement (www.iap2.org). The promise to you is that the health care partner will work with you to ensure that your ideas and concerns are reflected in recommendations and provide feedback on how your input affected the decision.

Eligibility

• Personal experience with residential services, long-term care, and/or complex care systems as a patient, resident, family member, or informal caregiver
• Comfortable participating in working groups and sharing lived experiences in a group setting for the purposes of quality improvement
• Willing to travel to the nearest Island Health video conference site (Campbell River, Ladysmith, Nanaimo or Victoria) and/or attend meetings in person in Nanaimo (arrangements may be made for those who are unable to travel)
• Previously attended a PVN orientation session and completed the Volunteer Agreement. If you have not attended an orientation session but you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Leah Smith directly to see if accommodations may be possible
• The placement process for this opportunity may include an informal interview between the volunteer and the health care partner

Logistics

• Vacancies: 1
• Date and Time: Meetings are held on the 4th Thursday of each month, from 9:30 am until noon
• Location: The meetings rotate between in-person in Nanaimo and video conference
• Term: 1 year with the possibility of extension
• Meeting materials (such as minutes from the previous meeting) will be distributed electronically

Reimbursement

Approved mileage and parking will be reimbursed, as well as approved transit (e.g. bus fare)

Background

Residential care services are typically provided to adults who can no longer live safely at home even with help because they have complex health care needs. These facilities provide access to nursing care 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Personal care assistance and hospitality services such as meals, emergency response, housekeeping and social and recreational programs are also provided. The Residential Services Clinical Governance Council is part of a series of Island Health quality councils and committees that are responsible to set and meet high standards of care and to maintain a continuous commitment to quality improvement. The Council is co-chaired by the Residential Services Operations Director and the Residential Services Medical Director. Council members include medical and administrative leaders such as site managers, Manger of Program Practice and Education, clinical nurse specialists, as well as two resident and family representatives. The Council reviews and discusses quality indicators as reported by each site and identifies priorities for improvement. Examples of current quality improvement priorities include: reduction in falls, improved wound care, appropriate pain management, and reduction in the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Leah Smith
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Southern Vancouver Island
778.678.3977
lsmith@bcpsqc.ca