We advocate for, and provide support to Indigenous patients and families who are visiting the hospital.
We work to bring excellence in care and we serve patients and their families who identify as Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit or Metis and who are using services at BC Children's Hospital, Sunny Hill, Healthy Minds, and BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre.
Our mission is to build bridges in health care for Indigenous women, children, families and communities and is guided by the six Coast Salish Teachings gifted to PHSA by Musqueam Knowledge Keeper, Sulksun.
Support during your hospital visit
Our team can support you in the following ways:
- Assist you and your family in navigating hospital procedures and protocols.
- Accompany you and your family to clinic appointments.
- Ensure your needs are heard by your medical team.
- Health literacy: explain medical advice that health professionals provide at patient appointments.
- Direct you to resources and other healthcare staff that support your short-term or long-term stay at the hospital, including travel, food vouchers, housing, counselling and respite care.
- Attend care plan and discharge planning meetings alongside you and your family to provide cultural, spiritual, mental, and emotional support.
- Assist you with making a complaint.
- Provide connections to culture, traditional medicines, and Elder support.
Indigenous Patient Navigators are hosts of the hospital and will be here to welcome you when requested. They will walk alongside you and your family during your hospital journey. They also offer traditional medicines and provide use and access to the designated sacred space to burn traditional medicines.
Elders and Knowledge Keepers are an integral part of our team. Upon request we can connect you with an Elder or Knowledge Keeper who can provide emotional and cultural support for you and your family during your hospital stay.
Elder and Knowledge Keeper services embody the following values:
- Everything is connected.
- Respect for Indigenous people's diversity of values, beliefs, and culture.
- Work with hearts of compassion and empathy.
- Reconciliation is a shared responsibility.
- Embrace and foster connecting to cultural and traditional teaching.
- Embrace standing strong in identity and culture.
- Support and facilitate access to traditional healing and wellness practices.
Upon request we can provide:
- Traditional medicines for ceremonial use and use of a sacred space to perform ceremonies. View a photo of our sacred space.
- Help with facilitating ceremonies for different phases of life, such as birthing, rites of passage, and end-of-life.
- Refer you and your family to an Elder or Knowledge Keeper (upon request) who provides cultural and emotional supports.
