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First ever Indigenous Advisory Working Group
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Sharon Bryant of Kitsumkalum First Nation (right front) and Isabelle McKee of Kitselas First Nation (left front) are both members of the MMH Indigenous Advisory Working Group. Here they are pictured at a ground blessing ceremony on site last spring. In the back row are Gerald Nyce of the Kitselas Health department, and Northern Health Board Chair Colleen Nyce.In light of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation this Friday, September 30, we wanted to tell you an important way Northern Health has engaged with Indigenous groups on the Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project.
First ever Indigenous Advisory Working Group supports design of new Terrace hospital
With a budget of more than $600 million, the Mills Memorial Hospital (MMH) Replacement project, which includes the building of a new hospital in Terrace, is the largest capital project Northern Health has undertaken to date.
Northern Health engages with Indigenous groups, communities, and patients in many ways. And to date, all Northern Health capital projects, including the MMH project, have been supported by Capital Advisory Committees, which include representatives from local First Nations.
The MMH project, however, was the first Northern Health capital project to be supported by an Indigenous Advisory Working Group (IAWG) specific to the project.
“Being part of the IAWG and being able to provide feedback on plans has been wonderful. It’s exciting to be able to help create a safe space, share our culture and the ways it may be best represented in the new hospital. Unity and input from the group will help Indigenous patients feel safer and more welcome at the new facility,” said Sharon Bryant, a member of the Kitsumkalum Nation and the MMH Indigenous Advisory Working Group.
The MMH IAWG was formed in the spring of 2021. Members include representatives from the Nations of Kitsumkalum, Kitselas, Nisga’a and Gitxsan, Metis Nation of BC, Kermodei Friendship Society, and First Nations Health Authority.
The purpose of the MMH Indigenous Advisory Working Group is to have a table for Indigenous input into design aspects of the project. The group provides input pertaining to considerations unique to Indigenous culture and practices to ensure the new hospital will be culturally safe, welcoming, respectful and relevant.
Aspects of the project that may be influenced by this group include but are not limited to patient experience, culturally appropriate design, artwork, signage, and other local considerations of interest that arise as the group meets.
“Northern Health is tremendously grateful for the participation of the members of this group. Their input is extremely valuable, and will help Northern Health in its ongoing desire and commitment to have culturally safe care occurring in culturally safe facilities,” says Ciro Panessa, Northern Health Chief Operating Officer, Northwest Health Service Delivery Area.
The MMH Replacement project consists of the building of a new hospital in Terrace and a new Seven Sisters facility, which provides a mental health rehabilitation and recovery program on the same property as the Terrace hospital. Among many other exciting new features, the new hospital will be more than double the size of the current facility, with almost double the number of beds, double the number of psychiatry beds, and double the number of emergency department treatment spaces.
In addition to the IAWG, the MMH Replacement Project is also supported by a Community Advisory Working Group, which also has representatives from local First Nations.
Input from the CAWG and IAWG is filtered upwards. It first goes to the MMH Capital Advisory Committee. Then it goes to the MMH Project Steering Committee who, in collaboration with the Project Board, balances the complexities of a capital building project with the needs and wants of the local and regional communities and residents.
Let’s Talk MMH is where you’ll find everything you want to know about the Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement Project and all the groups we’ve described.
Note: The graphic used for this story 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.
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Working groups provide valuable input
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A significant way Northern Health receives valuable input into the new hospital has been through both the MMH Indigenous Advisory Working Group (IAWG) and MMH Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG). The work of the IAWG and the CAWG informs the project to help ensure a facility that reflects and supports the communities served by Mills Memorial Hospital.
Aspects of the project that may be influenced by these groups include but are not limited to patient experience, culturally appropriate design, artwork, signage, and local considerations of interest that arise as we meet.
Over the last few months, both groups have met several times with members of the MMH Replacement project team to provide feedback on a variety of topics. The most recent meetings took place this past week, at the end of July.Input to date from both groups has been extremely valuable and we are tremendously grateful for the participation of the members.
Input from the CAWG and IAWG is filtered upwards. It first goes to the MMH Capital Advisory Committee. Then it goes to the MMH Project Steering Committee who, in collaboration with the Project Board, balances the complexities of a capital building project with the needs and wants of the local and regional communities and residents.
There is a lot going on behind the scenes in the construction of a new hospital, but a simplified version of reporting, when it comes to these groups, looks like the graphic on this page.
Terms of reference for both working groups and the MMH Capital Advisory Committee can be found in the documents section of this website. Take a look to find out more info about the groups' purpose and membership:
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Join the MMH Community Advisory Working Group
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Northern Health is looking for two patient representatives from outside of Terrace, who live in Northwest BC and access services at Mills Memorial Hospital, to be part of a Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) for the new hospital.This volunteer opportunity can be applied for though the Patient Voices Network. For more information and to apply, go to: Member, Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG), Mills Memorial Hospital (MMH) Replacement Project - Patient Voices Network (patientvoicesbc.ca)
Deadline to apply is Wednesday, September 1, 2021.
The purpose of the Community Advisory Working Group is to have a table for stakeholder and community input into design aspects of the Mills Memorial (MMH) Replacement Project. The Group will provide input pertaining to local culture, practices and experience, to ensure the new facility is welcoming, respectful and relevant.
Representatives form local and regional community organizations and stakeholder groups, many of which are in Terrace, have been invited to join this group. This includes a patient representative from Terrace. As Mills Memorial Hospital provides services to residents throughout Northwest BC, however, we are looking for two patient representatives from outside of Terrace to participate and give a more regional perspective
The Group will be a sub group of the MMH Capital Advisory Committee. The Group’s input will complement and be considered along with input collected from other engagement activities and platforms.
Some of the topic discussed within the Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) will overlap with topics discussed by the MMH Indigenous Advisory Working Group (IAWG), which was formed in the Spring of 2021. Sub-working groups focused on specific topics may be formed with members from both of these working groups.
The first meeting for this community group is planned for September 8 and the next Indigenous Advisory Working Group (IAWG) meeting is planned for the next day, September 9.
