The Northern First Nations Health Partnership Committee is pleased to
release
Implementing Our Health and Wellness Plan: An Overview. This
document summarizes a comprehensive plan that was developed with the
guidance and direction of Northern First Nations community leadership
over the past year. It was endorsed by the Northern Health Board, and
received its final approval from Northern Chiefs at their First Nations
Health Council Regional Caucus meeting in April 2014.
Implementing
Our Health and Wellness Plan: An Overview is meant to communicate the
complex work of transforming the health system for Northern First
Nations. The broad themes in which the goals are grouped are: programs
and services, operations and infrastructure, managing information, and
measuring status and success. Within these themes are clustered 14 goals
that relate to: developing cultural competency and safety, improving
accessibility of services, supporting mental wellness, developing
collaborative communications activities, and supporting a locally
representative health workforce, to name a few. From these goals,
specific objectives and implementation activities were identified.
"This
partnership with Northern Health has demonstrated that the North is a
leader in advancing strategies that will serve to improve the health
status for Northern First Nations people,” said Warner Adam, First
Nations Health Council Northern Regional Caucus Representative. “Our job
collectively is to close the health gap that exists between First
Nations and the rest of BC citizens. Part of the strategy includes
innovation and thinking outside the current medical system and
structures."
The Plan also highlights four
cross-cutting themes to be taken into account within all goals. They are
factors related to: urban/away from home, regional rural and
remoteness, social determinants of health, and traditional approaches
and practices. In some cases, specific strategies will be developed to
ensure attention is given to these cross-cutting themes. In addition,
the Committee identified four goals as working priorities for the 2014
year: cultural competency, primary health care, public and population
health, and mental wellness and substance use.
"Working
collaboratively with First Nations health providers and communities is
important to help improve the health of Northern First Nations people,"
said Margo Greenwood, Northern Health's Vice-President of Aboriginal
Health. "Northern Health recognizes health services have to be delivered
in a culturally appropriate and safe manner, and this plan identifies
specific goals to achieve this objective."
The
Northern First Nations Health Partnership Committee was established to
implement the goals of the Northern Partnership Accord, which was signed
in May 2012 by the First Nations Health Council Northern Regional
Health Caucus, the (then interim) First Nations Health Authority, and
Northern Health. This historic Accord opens new doors for cooperation
and planning to improve health outcomes for Northern First Nations (see
Media Release, May 2012).
“It
has been an absolute honour to be a part of this work supporting the
growing partnership between our communities and partners at Northern
Health. This is a historic time in First Nations health with communities
taking ownership of their health, their health authority, and moving
their priorities forward,” said Nicole Cross, Northern Regional Director
with the First Nations Health Authority. “Building on the years of work
of our political leadership through the FNHC it is very exciting for us
all to be in a place where we can begin to roll up our sleeves and
address the health priorities of our Northern communities
collaboratively.”
Over 35% of the First Nations
population in BC lives in the Northern Region. First Nations in
Northern BC face distinct health service challenges with many remote
communities spread out over a vast area. The ongoing partnership between
Northern Health, the First Nations Health Authority, and the First
Nations Health Council is creating new opportunities and finding
solutions to the diverse challenges related to health service delivery
while acknowledging the wider social determinants that impact health and
wellness.
The
First Nations Health Authority
(FNHA) is the first province-wide health authority of its kind in
Canada. In 2013, the FNHA assumed the programs, services, and
responsibilities formerly handled by Health Canada's First Nations Inuit
Health Branch Pacific Region. Our vision is to transform the health and
well-being of BC's First Nations and Aboriginal people by dramatically
changing healthcare for the better.
The
First Nations Health Council
(FNHC) is the political and advocacy arm of the First Nations Health
Governance Structure in BC that also includes the FNHA and First Nations
Health Directors Association. The Northern FNHC Regional Health Caucus
is composed of and represents Northern First Nations and serves as the
regional planning and engagement forum for First Nations health in the
North.
Northern Health
is one of five provincial health authorities in the province of BC. It
is divided into three Health Service Delivery Areas: Northeast, Northern
Interior, and Northwest, similar to the three sub-regions the Northern
Caucus has organized around. Northern Health employs over 7,000 people
to provide health services to 300,000 people over an area of 600,000
square kilometers.
The Northern First Nations
Health Partnership Committee includes representation from Northern
Health, the FNHC, FNHA, and Northern First Nations. The Committee was
struck shortly after the signing of the Northern Partnership Accord and
began meeting in September 2012. Brief
Communiques summarize the Committee meetings and are available on the Northern Health website.
Background Documents:
