Residents of Hope and the entire Fraser Valley are invited to attend an orientation to the Patient Voices Network in Abbotsford on Nov. 26.
The Patient Voices Network (PVN) is made up of BC patients, caregivers, family members, and others who wish to use their experiences for positive change to health care. They participate in engagements like focus groups, advisory committees, conferences, and working groups.
To ensure that Fraser Valley voices are represented, PVN will be travelling to the region to host a tailored orientation session for residents of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Langley, and Mission.
Val Leblanc, of Langley, has been an active PVN member for two years and would be pleased to share his experiences with the PVN and discuss why it’s important for community members to get involved.
He is a member of the Patient Advisory Council for Fraser Health, where patients have an ongoing role working with health authority decision makers and provide feedback about decisions at all levels.
Most recently, he was part of a group of patient advisors invited to a “leadership walkabout” tour of regional hospitals and long-term care homes where they could view operations first-hand.
A few examples of patient placements in the Fraser Valley region over the last year include: reviewing protocol for residential care homes that work with families and loved ones during the last hours of a patient’s life (Chilliwack); outreach to the First Nations community at an elders gathering (Abbotsford); sitting on the Chilliwack Divisions of Practice, working alongside providers, health authority representatives, and community partner to identify and address issues in primary care (Chilliwack).
Bev Bakka
Community Outreach Coordinator