Health Standards Organization (HSO) and Accreditation Canada (AC) celebrate and honour the work that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis are doing to improve culturally safe care across the health system, and improve quality of care in communities.
Many Indigenous health care organizations and groups have created health care programs grounded in their cultures. The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) in British Columbia is a leader in this area. Notably, FNHA’s Community Accreditation and Quality Improvement program hosted the development of a BC First Nations Perspective on Quality, which offers an understanding of quality based on First Nations’ values. The companion document, BC First Nations Pathway for Quality Improvement, provides the steps to guide a quality improvement process that reflects BC First Nations’ principles and approach, and can be adapted to reflect a community’s own culture and values.
Indigenous organizations coast to coast to coast have achieved accreditation through AC. The Okanagan Indian Band Health and Wellness Department received Accreditation with Commendation earlier this year. The health department was praised for advancing patient and cultural safety through dedicated care, engaging with the community, and building collaborative relationships.
Indigenous surveyors also carry out AC assessments, bringing their perspective to AC’s accreditation programs. Peer surveyors who work in Indigenous Health or self-identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis are always appreciated. Apply to be a surveyor with AC.
HSO was honoured to work in partnership with FNHA to create the British Columbia Cultural Safety and Humility standard, which was released in June 2022. The standard supports governing body members and organizational leaders in identifying, measuring, and achieving culturally safe systems and services that better respond to the health and wellness priorities of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples and communities.
The next stage of this work, the Advancing Cultural Safety and Humility Through Standards and Accreditation project, has two parallel streams. FNHA and HSO are continuing their partnership to prepare and test the BC Cultural Safety and Humility standard to become part of AC’s accreditation program for health and social services organizations in the province. At the same time, the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association (CINA) is collaborating with HSO to engage Indigenous governing bodies, communities, and peoples from coast to coast to coast in scoping the needs and design of a national cultural safety and humility standard.
AC is also working with client organizations and surveyors to improve the accreditation experience with Indigenous Health Services. It builds on AC’s continuous accreditation program model that is being developed.
As part of our commitment to advance cultural safety and humility, HSO and AC use a distinctions-based approach in our work. We collaborate with Indigenous partners as we work towards standards and programs that are inclusive, and respect and meet the diverse priorities of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples
We are acutely aware that while we make this important journey with communities towards better quality health and social services for all, we have much to learn and more to do in creating better care and equity in the health care system. The voices of Indigenous partners lead us in working towards a future where Indigenous Peoples, families, and communities have access to culturally safe care and services free of racism and discrimination.
Learn more about how organizations can promote cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism using the British Columbia Cultural Safety and Humility standard.