June 22, 2021
Dear Respiratory Therapists
Re: Survey for BC Allied Health provincial consultation process
The Ministry of Health has a fairly new division called the Allied Health Policy Secretariat. Their role is to provide strategic policy direction and provincial oversight for the allied health workforce in 3 key areas of focus 1) Education and training 2) Recruitment and retention 3) Professional practice (role/scope optimization). The director of the Allied Health Policy Secretariat is Lorrie Cramb, Lorrie reports to Mark A. Armitage (Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Sector Workforce and Beneficiary Services Division). Below is part of an email from Mark A. Armitage regarding a survey that he would like all the respiratory therapists in BC to participate in.
As part of the BC Allied Health Provincial Consultation process, the Ministry of Health has developed an online survey to collect allied health data in seven key areas of focus: identity and recognition, workforce and practice optimization, leadership, education and training, recruitment, retention, and partnerships and collaboration. I am requesting your assistance in helping us disseminate this comprehensive survey aimed at the allied health workforce, including frontline, management, public, private, or contracted (see attached list of professions/occupations).
All allied health professionals in BC will be eligible to participate in the survey that will run from June 22nd to July 13th. I’m hopeful you will share the following survey link with your staff/members of the allied health workforce so they can contribute their thoughts and inform this important work. Survey link:https://surveymoh.health.gov.bc.ca/public/survey/allied-health-provincial-consultation?destination=/home
The results of the survey will provide valuable insight to the current state of allied health in BC, from the perspective of allied health professionals, related to the seven core themes above. Data collected via the online surveys and focus groups will be aggregated, themed and incorporated into a “What We Heard” report that will be developed and shared with key stakeholders later this summer/early fall to validate the initial findings. This will help to inform the three-year strategic plan for the Allied Health Policy Secretariat.
I encourage all of you to participate in this survey to help shape the direction of your profession. Attached are a couple documents to provide more information about the Allied Health Policy Secretariat.
Sincerely,
Mike MacAulay,
President, BC Society of Respiratory Therapists