Patient Partner, Nanaimo’s Collaborative Services Committee

Volunteer Opportunity
This is your chance to influence strategy and policy impacting patient care across our city. Join decision makers from Nanaimo Division of Family Practice, Island Health, First Nations Health Authority and Community Partners to provide a patient perspective into strategic planning of community Primary Care Services.

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Lead Organization/Department
Nanaimo Division of Family Practice

Aim
The Collaborative Services Committee is a multi-partner table where primary and community care leaders in Nanaimo meet to plan for improvements in the patient & provider experience and improve population health. The patient perspective will be important to help shape future recommendations for primary and community care in Nanaimo. The patient partners will participate during interactive round table discussions focused on initiatives that support these improvements.

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 currently residing in Nanaimo
• Familiarity with primary and/or community care
• Experience with decision-making committee work an asset
• Please note:
– This opportunity is not open to patient partners who are currently employed by Island Health
– 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 Charmaine Niebergall directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics
• Number of vacancies: 1 (role will be shared with an existing patient partner)
Date/Time: Third Wednesday evening of every month
– Meetings take place over dinner from 6:00pm – 8:00pm
– First meeting with new patient partners to take place October 2021
• Location: Nanaimo
• Commitment: One year with the possibility of renewal
• Connection Method: Currently over Zoom; when restrictions are lifted meetings will resume in person in Nanaimo, where a teleconference option is available
• Additional time commitments: Materials will be provided to patient partners for review before meetings.

Reimbursement
No out of pocket expenses are anticipated for this engagement opportunity. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria but have concerns about your ability to participate, please contact Charmaine Niebergall cniebergall@bcpsqc.ca to see if support options are available. We are always seeking to better understand and reduce barriers to participation.

When in-person meetings resume, the patient partners working on this engagement are reimbursed for things such as parking and mileage. A dinner meal is provided at evening, in-person meetings.

Background
The Nanaimo Division of Family Practice, incorporated on November 22, 2011, is a not-for-profit society funded by the Government of BC and Doctors of BC, and work in partnership with the BC Ministry of Health, Island Health and other community partners.

We represent Family Physicians, Locums, Hospitalists, Emergency Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Family Medicine Residents in Nanaimo, surrounding areas and on Gabriola Island. Building off the rich and diverse ways that family doctors provide primary care, the overarching goal of the Division is to support our members and advocate that they get the necessary tools to look after their patients.

Together, our members work to improve patient access to local primary care, increase influence on health care delivery and policy, and provide professional support for Physicians and Nurse Practitioners.

The Nanaimo Collaborative Services Committee (CSC) is a joint committee of Island Health, the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice, and First Nations Health Authority. The Nanaimo CSC is an innovative way of co-generating solutions to the complex, serious and interconnected issues facing the health care system, the delivery of care and the experience of care. The committee meets monthly to strategize all aspects of primary care service delivery in Nanaimo, BC. A patient voice is critical to bring the end user lens to big picture strategic decisions. Patient partners can expect a decision-making model by consensus on this committee.

The CSC embodies the collaborative working relationship among the Partners where members present issues that impact the delivery of primary care, population health, and patient care outcomes; co-determine priorities and co-design solutions. The Nanaimo Division and the CSC supports diversity and cultural safety, and is committed to a journey of reconciliation to provide a psychologically safe environment for staff, members, partners and community members. See Nanaimo Division of Family Practice Website for more information.

The Collaborative Services Committee members include representatives from:
• Island Health
• Nanaimo Division of Family Practice
• First Nations Health Authority
• General Practice Service Committee, Doctors of BC
• Snuneymuxw First Nation
• Snaw-Naw-As First Nation
• Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre
• City of Nanaimo

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Charmaine Niebergall
Engagement Leader, Patient & Public Engagement | Vancouver Island
778.700.2064
cniebergall@bcpsqc.ca