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Learn About The BC Rural Health Network

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Board Of Directors

Vision Statement

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The BC Rural Health Network (BCRHN) consists of healthcare advocacy organizations working in cooperation with healthcare policymakers. The purpose of the Network is to promote and support a health services system that improves and sustains the health and well-being of residents of rural communities across British Columbia.

Our goals include the following:

  • Share successful strategies in an effort to address rural healthcare concerns
  • Advocate for policy changes that provide all rural residents with attachment to a health care practitioner
  • Identify areas of research aimed at improving access to healthcare in rural communities and to provide fertile ground for research to take place
  • Inform the BC Ministry of Health of rural healthcare concerns
  • Recommend solutions for the improvement of services to rural BC residents
  • Work in partnership with other provincial organizations to influence policy changes that improve access to healthcare services
  • Recognize the healthcare concerns of indigenous communities and include their issues and concerns as part of our work
  • Improve access to mental health services
  • Promote patient-centered, community-based primary healthcare reform

BC Rural Health Network Board

President – Peggy Skelton, East Shore Kootenay Lake

Vice President – Bob Storey – Fraser Lake

Secretary – Lorraine Gerwing – Northern Rockies Regional Municipality

Treasurer – Kristy Bjarnason – Burns Lake

Directors:

Rhonda Elliott, Bella Coola

Theresa Hamilton, Revelstoke.

Pegasis McGauley, Nelson

Dave Smith, Chase

Leonard Casley, New Denver

Jane Osborne, Nanaimo

Margaret Scaia, Silverton

Augmenting The Board:

Jude Kornelsen – Liaison: Center for Rural Health Research UBC

Valerie St John – Liaison: BC Association of Community Health Centres and the BC Health Coalition

Staff Members:

Paul Adams – Executive Director – Princeton

Phoebe Lazier – Community Outreach – Merritt

Vision Statement

OUR VISION STATEMENT

The BC Rural Health Network (the BCRHN) is the healthcare voice for all rural residents of British Columbia.

OUR MISSION

To promote and support a health services system that improves and sustains the health and well- being of residents of rural communities across British Columbia

GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

  • All British Columbians are entitled to efficiently provided, timely and effective health services.
  • While the rural communities of BC differ widely in terms of needs, desires, strengths, challenges and distinctive characters they share many concerns regarding obstacles to essential healthcare services.
  • Residents in rural communities are recognized as authorities on what is best for their community. Grassroots healthcare advocacy
    organizations exist in rural communities because of the recognized need to improve services.
  • Improvement to services will result from collaborative, cooperative
    relationships developed between community organizations, health authorities, local elected officials, local health workers, and provincial policy makers.
  • Together we present a strong and unified voice for change.

 

GOALS

The following goals of the BCRHN focus on the need to provide solutions to common problems through cooperative and collaborative enterprise with key stakeholders:

  • Share successful strategies between member organizations
  • Advocate for policy change at the provincial level aimed at providing all rural residents with access to timely and efficient primary health care
  • Identify areas of research and to provide fertile ground for this
    research to take place
  • Work in partnership with other provincial organizations to attain our goals
  • Include indigenous communities through the involvement of the First Nations Health Authority
  • Improve access to mental health services
  • Promote patient centered, team based, community focused primary healthcare reform

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