Reviewer, Clinician Online Learning Module: Patient Rights under the BC Mental Health Act

Online learning modules provide an opportunity for clinicians to understand patient rights under the Mental Health Act so that they can better inform patients and families. Providence Health Care seeks two patient partners to review the content and test the modules.

Open to: Patient partners in the Lower Mainland & Fraser Valley

Lead Organization or Department

Providence Health Care - Mental Health

Aim

To improve the patient-provider therapeutic relationship as well as the patient’s experience with the health care system. Patient partners will review the content and test the modules to ensure that they are user-friendly, easy to understand and increase knowledge of patients’ rights under the Mental Health Act for clinicians, and ultimately, patients and families.

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

• Computer literacy
• Working in small groups
• Experience being an involuntary patient, or a family member who supported a patient under the BC Mental Health Act

Logistics

• Vacancies: 2 • Date/time: Details to be determined in consultation with patient partners • Location: Downtown Vancouver • Commitment: Two-hour meeting, within a two-month timeframe, in-person, with some ad-hoc telephone and/or emails

Reimbursement

Mileage = $0.52/km - up to 60 kms each way Parking = $18/day maximum Transit costs Details of this process, the length of time for reimbursement and any further compensation will be shared directly with the successful patient partners.

Background

The Office of the Ombudsperson investigated the health records of involuntary patients hospitalized across BC in June 2017 and found that only 49% of patient files contained a completed Form 13, falling short of the 100% compliance the Mental Health Act requires (BC Office of the Ombudsperson 2019). In his report, Committed to Change, the Ombudsperson recommended mandatory training for clinicians on their responsibilities under the law. Further, in a Ministry of Health survey, 43% of involuntary patients reported that they were not told their Mental Health Act rights in a way they could understand (R.A. Malatest & Associates 2011). The proposed LearningHub module is a response to the Ombudsperson’s recommendation and aims to close clinicians’ knowledge gap. The team consists of a research scientist and 6 nurse educators from Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care. We acknowledge that patient or family partners may have a negative history with the mental health act/hospitalization and this content review may be difficult. We would support stopping the review at any time to provide support resources. Terms of Reference.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Jami Brown, Engagement Leader – Patient and Public Engagement
BC Patient Safety & Quality Council
604.510.0449 | jbrown@bcpsqc.ca