Appendix E: Evaluation of the surveillance function at the Public Health Agency of Canada – Pan-Canadian Public Health Network governance structure

Appendix E. Pan-Canadian Public Health Network governance structure

The Pan-Canadian Public Health Network transitioned to a new governance structure in 2011 as illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Pan-Canadian Public Health Network structure as of April 1, 2011^{Footnote 113}

Enlarge Figure 3

Source: Pan-Canadian Public Health Network – Annual Report 2010-11

The work of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network is governed by a 17-member Pan-Canadian Public Health Network Council composed of federal, provincial and territorial government officials, including the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada and senior government officials from all jurisdictions that are responsible for public health. The Pan-Canadian Public Health Network Council is accountable to the Conference of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Deputy Ministers of Health, which provides direction and approves public health policy priorities for Canada.

The work of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network is managed by the following three federal/provincial/territorial steering committees that are accountable to the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network Council:

• Healthy People and Communities Steering Committee
• Communicable and Infectious Disease Steering Committee
• Public Health Infrastructure Steering Committee.

The Committee most relevant to this evaluation is the Public Health Infrastructure Steering Committee.

Public Health Infrastructure Steering Committee

While surveillance issues concern all the Pan Canadian Public Health Network committees, surveillance infrastructure issues are dealt with by the Public Health Infrastructure Steering Committee. This committee works to support the strategic directions of the federal, provincial and territorial Deputy Ministers of Health and the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network, and prioritizes work that addresses public health infrastructure where federal, provincial and territorial collaboration is of mutual benefit.^{Footnote 114} In accordance with the priorities set and approved by the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health, the committee is currently addressing foundations for the national surveillance infrastructure within the context of communicable disease and urgent public health events. The work of the steering committee includes leadership, coordination, the breaking down of barriers between traditional silos and the identification of innovative pan-Canadian solutions that can be developed into recommendations for the Pan Canadian Public Health Network Council. Areas of this work in public health surveillance relate to standards, policy interoperability, tools such as electronic public health information systems and knowledge synthesis, translation and exchange to support public health practice across Canada.