What is Regional Health and Wellness Planning?

"Right now this process is really about prioritization rather than planning in the initial stages, because prioritization creates an equal playing field. Not every community or Tribal Nation has a comprehensive health plan in place, but all communities have priorities. Through the regional planning framework we want to ask health leadership throughout the province the same questions to ensure we're making room for everyone to contribute."  Mark Matthew - Manager, Engagement and Coordination - Policy, Planning and Transformation

First Nations leaders called for regional health and wellness planning in the 2011 and 2012 Consensus Papers. Existing community and Nation health plans will be used to develop regional health and wellness plans – providing valuable direction for improving the health of First Nations in specific regions. The plans will also address how collaborative work will take place with regional health authorities and other regional partners, as well as with the FNHA.

Making Regional Health and Wellness Planning Yours

The changes and evolution in First Nations health governance have given BC First Nations an exciting opportunity - to work on health reform at the regional level.  

The development of interim regional health and wellness plans will:

• Outline First Nations goals, priorities and approaches to guide regional work
• Identify the shared work with regional health authorities
• Inform the provincial-level strategic planning of the FNHA, FNHC and FNHDA

To make collaboration across regions possible and effective, all the interim regional health and wellness plans will address certain key areas. For example, each plan will describe the vision and values of the region, as well as priorities and goals in:

• Governance and decision-making

• Partnerships and collaboration

• Health service improvements

• Human resource development and education

As shown here, health planning is happening at the community and regional levels, as well as at the strategic level by health governance partners. 

Regional health and wellness planning is how regions have their say. Through the planning process, regions can identify common health concerns and priorities for communities and Nations in their regions.

A key purpose to these plans is: "to establish a common voice in each region and to clearly identify priorities and approaches to enhancing First Nations health and wellness in the region, including the work with regional health authorities and regional caucuses and other regional partners." Status update – Interior Interim Regional Health and Wellness Plan – October 2013. 

What to Expect in the Future

The first round of regional health plans will focus on high-level priorities that were endorsed or approved by each region in the spring of 2014. The ultimate objective is that the BC First Nations planning process will evolve so that regional plans will truly reflect the goals and priorities of community health and wellness plans. In this way, it is communities – as it should be - that will drive the changes that will transform First Nations health throughout BC.

For more information please contact the Regional Director for your region:

Kim Brooks – Vancouver Coastal – Tel. 604-661-3881 – Kim.Brooks@fnha.ca

Megan Hunt – North – Tel. 250-645-3010 - Megan.Hunt@fnha.ca

Lisa Montgomery-Reid – Interior – Tel 604-693-6607 -  Lisa.Montgomery@fnha.ca

Brennan MacDonald – Vancouver Island – Tel. 250-748-9760 - Brennan.Macdonald@fnha.ca

Michelle DeGroot – Fraser Salish - Tel. 604-693-6532Michelle.Degroot@fnha.ca