Patient Partner, Island Health Combined Quality Oversight Council

Are you a thoughtful communicator who is willing to use your lived experience to contribute to a high-level council focused on improving quality and safety across Island Health? This may be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for!

Open to: Patient partners on Vancouver Island

Lead Organization or Department

BC Patient Safety & Quality Council

Aim

Island Health’s Combined Quality Operations Council (CQOC) is Island Health’s chief quality structure, reporting directly to the Executive Leadership Team and to the Health Quality Committee (HQC) of the Island Health Board of Directors. The patient partners’ role is to help the CQOC better understand and consider the perspectives of patients, families, and communities, and to ensure that those priorities are reflected in the Council’s decisions.

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

• Experience of health services within Island Health (as a patient, family member or informal caregiver)
• Comfortable sharing patient experiences in a group setting for the purposes of learning and quality improvement
• A skilled listener who is respectful of a broad range of views
• An interest in strategic and operational matters related to a regional health care system
• Previous experience as part of a committee or quality improvement project is an asset, but is not required
• Links to other agencies, networks or communities to inform a broad perspective is an asset, but is not required
• Please note:
  • Patient partners who are currently employed by health authories are not eligible for this opportunity
  • 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

• Four vacancies:
  • 1 for Greater Victoria and Sooke area
  • 1 for Saanich, Gulf Islands, Cowichan and Ladysmith areas
  • 1 for Nanaimo, Qualicum and Alberni areas
  • 1 for Courtenay and North Island Areas
• Date/time/location: the CQOC meets on a monthly basis for 1.5 hours. Attendance via teleconference or videoconference from an Island Health facility is possible.
• Commitment: In addition to attendance at regularly scheduled meetings, patient partners will be asked to review meeting materials prior to meetings (anticipated time to review: 1-2 hours). A 30 minute meeting can be set up between patient partners and the co-chairs of CQOC prior to the meeting to assist with a better understanding of the materials and to help ensure patient partners feel oriented to the discussions that will take place.
  • Patient partners are also be invited and encouraged to attend regularly scheduled quality improvement training sessions with other patient partners, facilitated by the Island Health Quality & Safety team, to learn new skills and competences related to QC work.
  • Term: 1 year with the possibility of renewal.

Reimbursement

Pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses to participate in meetings such as mileage, parking and public transit will be reimbursed by Island Health. Once submitted, expenses are typically reimbursed within a 4-6 week timeframe.

Background

Island Health is committed to ensuring the best possible care and experience for patients and their families. In order to support quality accountability and improvement, Island Health has a robust quality structure to develop standards of care and ensure accountability for safety. The Quality Structures are made up of 23 Quality Councils, which includes program-specific councils (e.g., surgery, medicine, public health) and four Geographic Quality Councils that implement standards across the health authority. These quality councils report to the Quality Operations Council, which then report directly to the Combined Oversight Council. More information on the Island Health’s Quality Structures is available on https://www.islandhealth.ca/about-us/accountability/quality-care/quality-island-health The CQOC oversees all strategic and improvement in Island Health, its affilitates and partners. This council is also responsible for holding the organization accountable for creating and supporting a culture of safety. Patient partners will be invited to draw upon their experience(s) of care and community knowledge to contribute to decision-focused and strategic discussions at meetings.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

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