First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is attending service planning meetings this week and in the coming weeks with communities currently served by Inter Tribal Health Authority (ITHA).
At these working sessions, First Nations leaders are invited to discuss options for future service delivery.
First Nations have invited FNHA senior leaders and program managers to a workshop hosted by Snuneymuxw First Nation today, to be followed by additional smaller planning sessions across Vancouver Island. Importantly, planning is underway in four streams
• Direct in-community service provision
• Health Promotion & Disease Prevention programs and services
• First Nations Health Benefits Administration
• Nursing Service Management
The top priority through this transition is for FNHA is to provide our clients the quality services they deserve through a seamless transition to new service arrangements and providers.
Background
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) has given notice to cancel its service agreements with the Inter-Tribal Health Authority (ITHA) on Vancouver Island.
The notice period began Dec. 21 and the agreements will end on March 31, 2019.
Over the past three years, FNHA has received complaints from ITHA staff and ITHA member First Nations about service delivery, quality of care, and organizational governance. At the same time, FNHA has received notification from a number of ITHA member communities wishing to disengage from ITHA as a service provider.
In response to the concerns raised by ITHA member communities, and as part of FNHA's regular quality assurance processes, FNHA initiated an audit of ITHA. The audit assessed risk management, control, governance processes, financial management and compliance with certain quality care standards.
ITHA’s lack of cooperation with both FNHA and the auditor, together with a complaint filed by ITHA against the auditor, meant the audit was ultimately not completed.
However, the DRAFT audit uncovered serious issues that were unable to be resolved because all attempts to work with ITHA management and the Board have been unsuccessful. These issues include:
• Lack of access to information and key personnel
• Organizational culture may not support organizational success
• Governance issues
• Program and service quality and oversight problems
• Financial management and control issues
Based on these unresolved issues, FNHA is in an unworkable situation as a funder to ITHA.
FNHA is working with our communities and service partners to ensure service continuity during this transition.
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Media: 604-831-4898 | Media@fnha.ca
