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You are here: Home > About Us> News> Media Centre> News Releases> 2012 News Releases

Vancouver Coastal Partnership Accord combines innovation, integration and tradition for better First Nations health services

COAST SALISH TERRITORY (Vancouver, BC) - The Vancouver Coastal Regional Caucus, interim First Nations Health Authority, and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) have announced signing of the historic Vancouver Coastal Partnership Accord creating a new path to improving health outcomes, programs, and services for First Nations in the Vancouver Coastal region.

“This marks the beginning for us to improve services, foster meaningful collaboration and partnership through Community-Driven Nation-Based engagement, and increase First Nation involvement in decision making,” said Ernest Armann of the Vancouver Coastal Regional Caucus. “I am excited the Partnership Accord has been reached and I look forward to an evolving and enduring partnership in support of First Nations health and wellness in the Vancouver Coastal Region.”

The Accord sets the goal of attaining significant improvements in health outcomes by achieving a higher level of integration through joint planning and engagement, a focus on accountability and evaluation, and providing culturally appropriate, safe and effective services. It acknowledges the diversity in size and traditions of Coastal First Nations, the rights of each First Nation to govern their own affairs, and the rights of VCH to govern its health services delivery area.

“Vancouver Coastal Health is committed to improving the health of First Nations and Aboriginal people and this can only be done in partnership with the community,” said Dr. David Ostrow, President & CEO of Vancouver Coastal Health. “The Partnership Accord will strengthen the relationship we have with First Nations and will foster greater self-determination for First Nations communities over their health care. We look forward to finding creative solutions and approaches as we embark on this new relationship.”
Specific initiatives include:

The establishment of an Aboriginal Health Steering Committee as a forum for partnership, collaboration, and joint efforts on First Nation and Aboriginal health priorities, policies, budgets, programs and services in the Vancouver Coastal region.
The development of an Urban Health Strategy that gives First Nations and Aboriginals a voice in the design of culturally relevant services and offers VCH guidelines and policies to incorporate specific traditional protocols and practices in the entire organization with the goal of supporting and improving services.
The creation of a strategic Aboriginal Health and Wellness Plan for the Vancouver Coastal region with concrete milestones and deliverables.

The Accord builds on several key documents and agreements on First Nations health, including the Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan, Tripartite First Nations Health Plan, Consensus Paper 2011: British Columbia First Nations Perspectives on a New Health Governance Arrangement, and the British Columbia Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance.

“The Vancouver Coastal region is one of the most diverse in its health care needs and challenges for First Nations people, including rural and remote communities, urban First Nations communities and the away-from-home population,” said Joe Gallagher, CEO of the interim First Nations Health Authority. “This Accord will bring all parties to the table to develop and implement innovations and solutions that work for everyone and improve the health and well-being of all residents of the region.”

VCH is responsible for the delivery of $3.2 billion in community, hospital and residential care to more than one million people in communities including Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.

The Vancouver Coastal Regional Caucus is composed and representative of Vancouver Coastal First Nations and serves as the regional planning and engagement forum for First Nations health in the region through the interim First Nations Health Authority.
A high resolution photo is available upon requestBackground Documents: