Left to right: Leslie Varley, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres with Cindy Charleyboy (Cariboo Chilcotin Region), Lisa Weget (Haida Gwaii) and Duane Jackson (Gitanmaax)
COAST SALISH TERRITORY –The Technical Committee tasked with developing a Cultural Safety and Humility standard met for the first time for the last two days in Musqueam territory, kicking off a yearlong process to develop a standard for use across the BC health and social services systems.
The new standard will support service organizations to identify gaps and challenges in their current systems and adopt best practices to provide higher quality care that better meets the needs of First Nations as well as other populations. The standard will be developed taking into account first-hand experiences of Indigenous peoples in the BC health system.
The technical committee is made up of clients, subject matter experts, health administrators, and health care professionals. The 18-member group will also have the leadership and counsel of an Elder with extensive experience in health care systems who will support the process through facilitation, traditional knowledge and teachings, and consensus building.
The development of the new standard is being led by the First Nations Health Authority and the Health Standards Organization, which develops standards, assessment programs and methodologies for health and social service providers.
"Today's meeting signals the beginning of formal work on developing a standard that, once applied, will support and improve our people's health and wellness journeys and their experiences within the health care system," said Joe Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer of the First Nations Health Authority. "Improving cultural safety and humility is a fundamental commitment by the health care system in BC to contribute to better health outcomes for First Nations across the province."
For more information contact:
John Moody
Media Relations
First Nations Health Authority
604-831-4898
Backgrounder:
BC Technical Committee on Cultural Safety and Humility Standard
| Name | Role |
| Gerry Oleman | Elder |
| Harmony Johnson | FNHA |
| Dr. Terri Aldred | Physician |
| Leslie Bonshor | Vancouver Coastal Health |
| Tania Dick | First Nations Health Council |
| Yvetter Ringham-Cowan | Island Health |
| Carolyne Neufeld | Fraser Health Authority |
| Lesley Varley | BC AAFC (Friendship centres) |
| Margo Greenwood | Northern Health and University of Northern British Columbia |
| Cheryl Ward | Provincial Health Services Authority |
| Leanne Kelly | University of Victoria |
| Keith Marshall | Health Director, Hailika'as Heiltsuk Health Centre, FNHDA |
| Kim Roberts | Kwakiutl District Council Health, Health Director, FNHDA |
| Jacki McPherson | Health Director, Osoyoos Indian Band, FNHDA |
| Derek Thompson | Cowichan Tribes, Health Director |
| Cindy Lynn Charleyboy | Client |
| Duane Jackson | Client |
| Lisa Weget | Client |
| Noella William | Client |
