Commissioner's update for offenders and their families: August 19, 2024
I am pleased to have received many messages from you lately about the good work of our staff. It is wonderful to hear about the impact their words or actions have had on your journeys.
This week, I would like to talk about your healthcare. At CSC, your healthcare is built on a partnership between you and your healthcare provider. This partnership means you work together to identify your health needs and develop a plan focussed on your goals and preferences. This includes safe, quality, culturally responsive care.
To ensure we’re providing effective healthcare, it is important that you play an active role and work with our health care team. Our partnership model is based on communication and choices. Sharing information with one another helps shape an informed health care journey for you.
I would like to draw your attention to the "Partnership” poster you may have seen in your institution. It outlines the roles and responsibilities for both you and your healthcare provider. Working together under these guidelines ensures that everyone is treated with dignity and respect in a safe and welcoming environment.
To learn more about how you can strengthen this partnership, look for the posters displayed in our Health Care Units. You can reach out to Health Services staff at any time if you have questions or concerns about your health.
“Once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves.” – Socrates
Partnership poster
Text equivalent (Partnership between healthcare providers and the person receiving service)
What is expected from interdisciplinary healthcare providers
Safe, culturally responsive, integrated, quality care
- Provide care in a manner that is respectful, free from stigma, and free from discrimination
- Consider spiritual and cultural needs, including having a spiritual care provider, with written consent from the person receiving care, as a member of their interdisciplinary care team
- Formulate healthcare decisions that are based on clinical assessment, independent of operational considerations, except where provided for by law/regulations/policy (for example preventing the spread of infectious diseases such as TB; risk of harm to self or others; risk of falls; etcetera)
- Provide privacy in personal care and protect confidentiality of health information
Communication
- Provide the names and roles of each member of the healthcare team
- Using plain language review and explain information about assessments, diagnoses (medical, psychiatric, psychosocial), and the plan of care. Discuss the person’s health goals and actively include them in the care planning process
- Offer suggestions on ways of promoting health (prevention and health promotion)
Choice
- Explain the options and health consequences of treatments and supports
- Acknowledge a person’s decision to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by the law
- Recognize that a person may make decisions contrary to the advice of the healthcare team
- When individuals make decisions contrary to the advice of the healthcare team, including when those decisions might be harmful to themselves, continue to explore options and offer support
What is expected from the person receiving health care
Safe, culturally responsive, integrated, quality care
- Treat healthcare providers, support staff, and others receiving care in the health centre/waiting area/medication administration area, with dignity and respect, free of discrimination
- Respect the privacy of healthcare providers, and others receiving care
- Report any health safety concerns
- Understand that the needs of others requiring care may sometimes be more urgent than your own
- Participate in health safety practices such as handwashing and other public health measures, falls prevention, medication safety, harm reduction measures
- Let the healthcare team know how your cultural and spiritual needs may influence your treatment and choice of treatment
Communication
- Ask if you do not know who someone on your care team is or what their role is
- Actively take part in your care plan to the best of your ability (share your healthcare goals and preferences)
- Understand that a treatment you ask for may not be provided if it is medically, psychologically, or ethically inappropriate for your particular health condition
- Correct any misunderstanding your healthcare providers may have about your medical and/or psychosocial history
- Identify family or significant others whom, with your written consent, you would like to be part of your care planning process
- Provide positive feedback and feedback on concerns regarding the care you are receiving
Choice
- Understand that you can refuse treatment to the extent permitted by the law and you will be counselled on the health consequences of your choice(s)
- Understand that when you make decisions contrary to the advice of your healthcare team, including decisions that might be harmful to you, it is your responsibility to alert your healthcare team regarding any related health concerns
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