Member, Patient Alliance for Patient Safety

Would you like to join a national alliance that focuses on improving the safety of patient care journeys? If yes, this could be the opportunity for you!

Open to: Patient partners across the province

Lead Organization or Department

BC Patient Safety & Quality Council, Patient & Public Engagement Team

Aim

The BC Patient Safety and Quality Council is looking for a patient partner representative to join the Patient Alliance for Patient Safety. The Alliance aims to develop a Canadian network of patient interest groups for whom patient safety is a priority. It will identify, develop and evaluate strategies to address common safety issues and learn and grow as a community by sharing ideas, knowledge, practices and evidence. Patient safety is a critical aspect of care and patient, family and citizen engagement at all levels of the system is a vital force for improvement.

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 an interest and understanding of patient safety
• Have knowledge or experience of unintended harm within the health care system (this would enhance the diverse perspective of the alliance but is not a requirement)
• Are comfortable working in large groups and sharing experiences
• Are able to travel once a year to attend an in person meeting out of province

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

• Vacancies: 1
• Date and time: Virtual meetings are held every 1-2 months (a Doodle poll is sent out in advance to determine the date and time) and one in person meeting is scheduled yearly. This will be March 23 in Toronto.
• Location: Online meetings and in person
• Commitment: 12 months

Reimbursement

For attendance at in person meetings travel reimbursements will be provided by the Canadian Patient Safety Insitute (CPSI).

Background

Since 2018, 20 patient interest groups and key stakeholders set the foundation for the Patient Alliance for Patient Safety ("Alliance") under the leadership of Patients for Patient Safety Canada. The purpose of the Alliance is to improve the safety of care through collaboration. Patient safety is a critical aspect of care and patient, family and citizen engagement at all levels of the system is a vital force for improvement.  The collective effort of the Alliance has the potential to accelerate safety improvements. The common patient safety issue the Alliance will address is improving the safety of care journeys through public engagement. The specific goal is to increase the number of people who:

• Know that there is a crisis of unintended harm in healthcare by understanding the potential risk factors, who is most vulnerable, how harm happens, and how it can be prevented; and
• Are taking action to advance safer care journeys by asking questions that reduce risk of harm, advocating for their own and others' safety, and reporting incidents and risks which helps to increase transparency about safety, learn and improve

Membership in the Alliance is open to any interested Partner that agrees to the Charter. Two individuals represent each Partner, at least one of which must be a patient. Patients for Patient Safety Canada facilitates this collective effort and all Partners have equal power in decision-making. More information on the Alliance.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

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