Safety, not racism, in health care

WELCOME, EVERYONE: Above, new Tla’amin language signage at Powell River General’s entry-way. A mask in the Mental Health lobby, carved by Tla’amin Nation’s forestry manager Craig Galligos (right), who also created the totem poles gifted to Slovenia and Hong Kong, through Kathaumixw.

Signs of safety at the Powell River hospital

If you’ve visited Powell River General Hospital lately, you may have noticed the new ‘welcome’ and ‘thank you for visiting’ signs in English and ayajuthem. Or, you may have seen the land acknowledgment at the front door. Or, carver Craig Galligos’ mask in the mental health and substance use lobby.

In collaboration with the Nation, this is a project spearheaded by Rebecca Withers, a social worker who is Vancouver Coastal Health Authority’s Rural, Remote, Mental Health and Substance Use Project Lead, through Aboriginal Health.

“This is about making VCH facilities as warm, welcoming and safe as possible,” said Rebecca on her cell phone, as she was hanging 215 orange hearts on the community garden fence outside. She started the project as part of her Master’s degree, when she was working on Indigenous Cultural Safety in VCH facilities. Rebecca will likely replicate it in partnership with locals in Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Sechelt and the Lower Mainland.

The project is timely; in February, BC released a final report by Mary-Ellen Turpel Lafond, called Addressing Racism: An independent investigation into Indigenous-specific discrimination in B.C. health care. Historically, it found, medical racism included “segregated facilities, underfunding, low standards of care, violations of individual integrity and autonomy.”

Today, many of the nearly 3,000 Indigenous respondents reported that medical staff assume they’re drunk or high; they’re treated as though they’re bad parents; and often don’t feel safe, or like they’ll be taken seriously, if they complain.

The Province continues to collect stories of racism in health care with the commitment to ending it: write to addressing_racism@bcombudsperson.ca, or toll-free at 1-800-600-3078.

Welcoming signage is, of course, just the beginning.

“This feels like really good work,” said Rebecca. “I’m just excited to carry on. It’s the tip of the iceberg, there’s so much more that we can do.”