Member, Primary and Community Care Advisory Forum

The Ministry of Health is accountable for the Provincial and Community Care Policy and has created this Forum to support the formation of an integrated system of primary and community care across BC. If you have a passion for primary care and experience participating in committees, this opportunity could be for you!

Open to: Patient partners across the province

Lead Organization or Department

Ministry of Health, Primary Care Division

Aim

The Primary and Community Care Advisory Forum will serve as a vehicle for the Ministry of Health to provide information, discuss and seek advice from its partners on key issues related to implementation of the provincial, team-based primary care strategy and its various elements. Patient partners will participate in all activities of the Forum. Recommendations to the Ministry of Health will be made by consensus, with final decisions on all recommendations resting with the Ministry of Health. Consensus is achieved when everyone accepts and supports a decision and understands how the decision was reached.

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 from across the province • The patient advisor should have a passion for healthcare and a desire to provide system level input • Able to provide constructive feedback and a constructive attitude during interactions • Confident providing feedback with executive level health care professionals • Experience with multiple health care settings and a strong understanding of the health care system in British Columbia (able to identify gaps and opportunities) • Can generalize their experience to other care contexts and situations, ideally having experienced or supported a loved one through diverse care experiences • Communicates effectively and demonstrates ability to work in partnership with others • The posting encourages diverse representation from across the province including people from different ethnic, economic, and social backgrounds • Please note:

• The placement process for this opportunity may include an informal interview between the volunteer and the health care partner.
• Applicants must have 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 Ashley Clark directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics

• Number of vacancies: 1 • Date/Time: Meetings were held in Vancouver or Victoria, on a bi-monthly basis, or at the discretion of the chair

• Meetings are currently being held virtually but may revert to in-person based on provincial health guidelines
• Meetings are typically 6 hours during regular business hours

• Commitment: One week to six months

• Patient partners will be provided with prototype binders to review for 48 hours and then will be asked to complete a feedback form

Reimbursement

The Ministry will cover all out of pocket expenses for patient partners to attend in-person (if required) including ground travel, meals, parking, and accommodation if necessary. If the patient partner is outside of the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island regions they will continue virtual participation and there are no anticipated costs.

Background

The Ministry of Health has accountability for the Provincial Primary and Community Care Policy, and has created the Primary and Community Care Advisory Forum to support the formation of an integrated system of primary and community care across BC. The Primary and Community Care Advisory Forum will:

• Provide advice for implementation for Primary Care Network (PCN) policy (including Urgent Primary Care Centres and Community Health Centres) and Specialized Community Services Programs (SCSP) policy for Mental Health and Substance Use & Adults with Complex Medical Conditions and/or Frailty;
• Provide advice to the Ministry on allocation of funding to support implementation of PCN and SCSP policy
• Provide advice to the Ministry of Health with respect to key issues regarding the overall Primary and Community Care policy framework; and
• Provide advice to the General Practice Services Committee on key issues related to implementation of Patient Medical Home policy.

Membership includes:

• Ministry of Health Assistant Deputy Ministry – Specialized Services;
• Division of Family Practice representative from each of the five (5) Interdivisional Strategic Councils;
• Health Authority representative from each of the five (5) Interdivisional Strategic Councils;
• Representative of the Provincial Health Services Authority;
• First Nations Health Authority representative;
• Representative of the Ministry of Health, Population and Public Health Division;
• Representative of the Ministry of Mental Health & Addictions;
• Representative of the BC Association of Midwives;
• Two representatives of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia;
• Two Doctors of BC representatives (HPSC Co-chair and Executive Director, Community Practice, Quality and Integration); and
• Two patient partners from the Patient Voices Network

Additional participants may be invited to participate in the Primary and Community Care Advisory Forum at the discretion of the Chair.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Ashley Clark
Engagement Leader, Patient & Public Engagement | Vancouver Island
250.812.8908
aclark@bcpsqc.ca