Member, Primary Care Patient Voices (PCPV) Group

In the fall of 2019, a Primary Care Patient Voices (PCPV) Group was established by PVN patient partners to fulfill three main objectives:

1. Peer support for Patient Partners to fulfill their respective roles and responsibilities
2. Peer support for Patient Partners in their advocacy for improved authentic engagement with patients
3. A province-wide Patient Partner group for consultation and knowledge transfer

If you would like to join patient partners from across the province to move primary health care towards a person- and family-centred model, with authentic engagement, this could be the opportunity for you!

Background: Primary Care aims to improve the health of citizens by making long-term, team-based care available in every community. More recently, British Columbia is redesigning the health care delivery model by shifting to Primary Care Networks. Traditional family physician offices will be connected to interdisciplinary teams, and to local Urgent and Primary Care Centres as well as other community-based health initiatives.

A quality health care model has patients at the centre. As the system moves towards person- and family-centred care, the patients partnering in this work need authentic representation. Therefore, Patient Partners have been engaged in a variety of capacities, from participation in surveys and working groups, to steering committees. These opportunities may be at various levels, from the local health authority to the provincial Ministry of Health.

Patient Partners can have a steep learning curve and are expected to speak from lived experience. Beyond that, there may be an expectation to represent a broader patient perspective. The challenges of fulfilling these roles and responsibilities, as well as understanding the context of their position led to the creation of this PCPV group. Patient Partners are able to learn from and support one another as they fulfill their roles.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of Collaborate on the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation.

Eligibility

• Comfort with public speaking
• Comfortable using technology to attend online/virtual meetings
• The time to participate in the engagement opportunity
• Virtual meetings occur via Zoom

Patient Partners ARE NOT required to be PVN members to participate in this engagement opportunity.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Layton Engwer Chair, Primary Care Patient Voices group | Primary Care Patient Voices group (250) 216-7199 layton.engwer@shaw.ca