From our healthcare services to our research institute. Patients, clients and families are the experts of their own experiences and are valuable partners to help improve our services, programs, projects and policies.
To help mobilize the collective power of patients and families to deliver safe, quality, and excellent care across all our services, BCMHSUS has created the Patient and Family Partner Network. This is a provincial community of people with lived and living experience of any mental health and substance use (MHSU) service in BC who will partner with staff to make key decisions. What will Patient and Family Partners do?
Patient and Family Partners will participate in engagement opportunities to help design, plan and deliver services, programs, and policies at BCMHSUS.
- Participating on working groups and committees
- Delivering training to new healthcare providers and leaders by sharing your story
- Interviewing new staff to ensure we are hiring the right people to serve patients and families
- Reviewing policies, resources and handbooks to give feedback
- Participating in focus groups or one-on-one conversations
- Membership on Burnaby Centre's Partnerships in Care Committee, which led projects such as the development of a New Family Handbook
- Review of and input into new policies around clinical care practices
- Participation in the development of the Trauma-Informed Practice Framework
- Participation in the development of the Patient and Family Engagement Framework
- Speaking at a new staff orientation
- Input into the new Centre for Mental Health and Addictions
Patient and Family Partners will also receive training, education and support to build capacity and skills wherever possible.
The needs and wants of patients, clients, and family members are a priority for us. Any person with lived and living experience of mental health, substance use and/or correctional health services in BC (not limited to BCMHSUS) is invited to join the network to help healthcare leaders and providers design a better way forward, together.
If you are an interested in becoming a Patient and Family Partner, contact engage_bcmhsus@phsa.ca or call Katie Mai, Leader, Patient Experience and Community Engagement, at 604-202-7974 to connect with us and find out more.
