N.S. launches survey asking for feedback on racism, discrimination in health-care system
The Nova Scotia government is asking diverse groups to share their experiences in an attempt to improve the province's health-care system.
The Department of Health and Wellness, along with health system partners, has launched an online survey to collect feedback from communities that may have experienced systemic racism and discrimination in the health system.
The province says this includes Indigenous people, African Nova Scotians and people of African descent, racialized groups, 2SLGBTIQA+ people, those with disabilities, immigrants, refugees and historically underrepresented populations.
"We know every Nova Scotian should receive the same quality of health care, but we also know they don't. Systemic racism and discrimination impact the care people receive," said Brian Comer, the minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson, in a news release Tuesday.
"We need to hear more about the experiences of people from diverse communities in our health system to make the necessary changes to provide better care."
The province says information received in the survey will be used to develop a health equity framework to help improve the system, both for diverse groups who use it and staff.
"The health equity framework is a vital piece of work to improve the health experiences and health outcomes of diverse communities and create a healthier, safer and more equitable work experience for team members," said Anna Marenick, the vice president of people, culture and belonging with Nova Scotia Health.
The province has begun reaching out to representatives from diverse communities to encourage people to complete the survey.
The government expects the health equity framework, which is part of the province's Action for Health plan, to be complete by July 2023.
"Racism, discrimination and bias have no place in health care or our workplaces. We have a duty to ensure health care is accessible, welcoming and inclusive for everyone," said Steve Ashton the vice president of people and organization development with the IWK Health Centre.
"We are committed to listening and developing a framework together with our community that will lead to real change."
The survey can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.