Participant, Virtual circles [focus groups]- Increasing Indigenous Patient Safety Through Regulation of BC College of Physicians and Surgeons and BC College of Nurses and Midwives

Volunteer Opportunity
Have you or your relatives ever had a challenging experience with a nurse, midwife or doctor and wished to raise a concern but did not know how or where to go?
We are seeking Indigenous Patient Partners to join us in a virtual circle to talk about anti-Indigenous racism in health care and help us understand how to make care culturally safe.

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Lead Organization/Department
BC College of Physicians and Surgeons and BC College of Nurses and Midwives

Aim
In 2020 BC completed an investigation which found evidence of widespread and systemic anti-Indigenous racism in health care.
The colleges that certify, regulate and discipline doctors, nurses and midwives would like to learn from Indigenous Patient Partners about what constitutes safe care and how to make it easier to raise the alarm when racism does occur.

Level of Engagement
This opportunity is at the level of involve on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will involve patients in planning and design phases to ensure ideas or concerns are considered and reflected in alternatives and recommendations.

Eligibility
Open to Indigenous Patient Partners who:
• Are comfortable sharing their story
•Are comfortable speaking in a small group with other Indigenous Patient Partners (one-to-one connections can also be made available if preferred)
• Have experience of directly making a complaint against a doctor, nurse or midwife or a family member of someone who has within the last five years (this criteria is preferred but not required)

We regret that we are unable to include any patient partners who already volunteer with these Colleges and their committees.

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: 10-12
• Date and Time: Friday April 30, from 9am-12pm or Friday May 7 from 9am-12pm. There will also be approximately 1 hour of preparation time ahead of the virtual circle/focus group.
• Location: Online meetings via Zoom or telephone call
• Commitment: One time

Reimbursement
If you would like to participate in this opportunity, but have concerns about your internet provider and data limit, please contact Cassy Mitchell at cmitchell@bcpsqc.ca.

Background
In 2020 BC completed an investigation which found evidence of widespread and systemic anti-Indigenous racism in health care.The BC College of Physicians and Surgeons and the BC College of Nurses and Midwives are ready to act on the recommendations of the report in order to make care safe for Indigenous people. The Colleges are seeking to work with Indigenous Patient Partners to shape the principles which would guide safe care with patients and are redesigning their complaints process to make it easier to complain when racism does occur.

Safe space principles will be agreed to in advance of the session and Indigenous Patient Partners will be connected with mental health resources should the discussions be triggering. A knowledge keeper will participate in the conversations and be available to participants.

A fact sheet with questions will be shared in advance of the virtual circles (about regulators).

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Cassy Mitchell
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Provincial
250.279.o717
cmitchell@bcpsqc.ca