PFAC seeking patient partners with an interest in maternal/child services, community mental health/addictions and equity, diversity and inclusion
Have you or your loved ones received care from Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) in the past three years? Do you have an interest in being a part of hospital decision making in a manner that reflects NHH's core values of integrity, quality, respect, compassion and teamwork? The Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) has a number of volunteer opportunities you may want to consider!
Established at NHH in December 2016, this Council is now in its sixth year. Through the volunteer Council, patient and caregiver partners are active in all core patient care areas of the hospital, working as partners with NHH staff, managers, physicians and the Board of Directors on a wide variety of hospital activities, special projects and program-focused quality and practice committees.
“The PFAC is one of many ways NHH works together with patients and caregivers to continuously enhance the quality of care from the perspective of those who receive care,” said Jennifer Gillard, Senior Director, Patient Experience, Public Affair and Strategic Partnerships. “NHH has benefitted from many generous PFAC volunteers over the years who have shared their lived experience, input and time. These individuals have played a key role enhancing the care experience at NHH in many ways, large and small, and we are committed to continually recruiting new Advisors to sustain and expand this important work.”
The PFAC has three opportunities that require dedicated support in the following areas:
- Maternal/Child Care
- Community Mental Health and Addictions
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
About the PFAC’s Maternal/Child opportunity
Buddied with the unit manager, the successful candidate for the Maternal/Child Care opportunity will bring their lived experience to NHH’s Maternal/Child Quality and Practice Committee. Acting in an advisory capacity to the Maternal/Child Program Director and Medical Director, the Maternal/Child Quality and Practice Committee actively oversees and provides advice and guidance regarding the planning, organization, care delivery and evaluation of NHH’s busy Maternal/Child program.
About the PFAC’s Community Mental Health and Addictions opportunity
Buddied with the Integrated Director, Mental Health, Community Program and Services, the successful candidate for the Maternal/Child Care opportunity will bring their lived experience to the Quality and Practice Committee of NHH’s Community Mental Health and Addiction program and other ad hoc projects. Equally well suited to a client or the loved one of a client of NHH’s community mental health programs, the opportunity will provide a chance to work alongside practitioners to continuously improve quality and enhance local programming.
About the PFAC’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion opportunity
As a member of NHH’s interdisciplinary Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee (EDIAC), and buddied with NHH’s VP, People, Culture and Organizational Effectiveness, the successful candidate will bring their passion for matters of diversity, general awareness, formal learnings or lived experience to the hospital with the aim of contributing to NHH’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion agenda. They will also support strategies and initiatives that are designed to improve awareness of equity and diversity, and promote inclusion for staff, physicians, midwives and volunteers. In addition, the successful candidate will contribute to the delivery of patient-centred care in a manner targeted to remove barriers and create better opportunities for all patients, particularly those from equity seeking or equity deserving groups.
How to express interest?
Residents of west Northumberland with an interest in volunteering on NHH’s PFAC are invited to review the Terms of Reference and Role Description and complete the Expression of Interest Form available on the Patient and Family Advisory Council page under the Patients tab of the hospital website at nhh.ca.
Time commitment
The full Council meets as a group for quarterly meetings, lasting two hours each, four times per year. In addition to attending quarterly Advisory Council meetings, Patient and Family Advisors also participate—as their experience/interest directs—on the specific committee and/or project to which they are assigned, requiring additional background reading and meetings ranging between 6-9 times a year. Meeting times vary according to area of service. Most are held in the day time or early evening, and are currently occurring in a mix of in-person and virtual settings. It’s expected that in-person meetings will resume with more regularity in the near future. Completed Expressions of Interest are required for consideration in the specific opportunities listed above. Interest is invited at any time, for any program area, though the PFAC aims to fill the above priority opportunities by late June, 2022.