Relationships and Reconciliation
On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, as it is every day, it’s important for us at Northern Health to reflect on our values of empathy, respect, collaboration and innovation in the context of cultural safety, and to check in with ourselves that we’re truly acting on reconciliation.
For NH Capital Projects, including the Stuart Lake Hospital (SLH) replacement project, this means developing a Capital Advisory Committee (CAC) early in the project that includes representatives from local First Nations. Members of all five First Nations local to Fort St. James have influenced the project from the beginning.
To support the work of the CAC, special working groups are struck as the project progresses. Like the Mills Memorial Hospital (MMH) project’s Indigenous Advisory Working Group, the SLH project is supported by a Cultural Safety Advisory Working Group (CSWG), which ensures awareness and understanding of cultural safety for Indigenous people in a healthcare setting, and addresses design and cultural practices that should be taken into account in a new hospital build.
The CSWG has created space for conversations that are far-reaching, enlightening, and meaningful for those involved. They have been particularly educational for the SLH project team. Stories shared with us by Indigenous partners in Takla, Yekooche, Tl’azt’en, Binche and Nak’azdli have broadened our understanding of issues facing Indigenous people seeking health care in Northern BC. The stories and ideas shared with us remain the property of the people who share them, but their influence on the new hospital in Fort St. James is clear; conversations around cultural safety, cultural practices, and ceremony have resulted in a larger Palliative Care Room with access to the outdoors, and the ability to smudge in both the Palliative Care Room and the Spiritual Space. Enabling the barrier-free ability to practice culture and tradition in our new capital builds at Northern Health is critical.
Committees and working groups are some of the tools we use to connect with the communities we serve, however, developing real relationships is the only way to make sure health care needs are safely and appropriately met. Often, reconciliation stops after acknowledgement, and while acknowledgment is essential for moving forward, action is vital to the process of building relationships. For this project, we have partnered with Nak’azdli Band Members for a ground blessing ceremony prior to construction starting at the site, and we have been privileged to attend community events such as National Indigenous Peoples Day at Kwah Hall in Nak’azdli, and to take part in health fairs in Yekooche and Takla. These are opportunities to meet with the communities and hear concerns, ideas and personal experiences of health care face to face. We are grateful for these opportunities and don’t take our inclusion lightly.
Northern Health is committing to actions to improve the care we provide. Conversations are on-going in the community and at the Cultural Safety Working Group Table. Health care is a partnership, and your feedback is always welcome. Stay in touch with us here and in person. We look forward to sharing progress on this and other Capital Projects on our Let’s Talk pages, in the media, and maybe over a cup of tea.
Note: The graphic was specially designed by Gitxsan artist Cori Johnson for Northern Health to recognize National Truth and Reconciliation/Orange shirt day. Read more about the graphic and the artist here: https://stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/ndtr-ms-teams-background-staff
