Prepared By:
Jennifer Johnston, Social Determinants of Health – Health Promotion Specialist, Planning and Strategic Initiatives Department
Date:
June, 2018
Subject:
Corporate Health Equity Strategy
Background
The Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS) outline the minimum expectations for public health programs and services and direct what Boards of Health are required to do. The new modernized OPHS specify that Boards of Health must demonstrate that they are focusing efforts to increase opportunities for health disadvantaged groups to achieve higher levels of health and well-being. Achieving greater health equity in our community has the potential to increase the effectiveness of public health programs and services.
To advance this work, the WECHU’s Planning and Strategic Initiatives Department has developed a corporate health equity strategy. The strategy will help the organization more strategically document efforts, identify areas of opportunity, measure progress, and share successes.
Based on results from the most recent Board of Health self-evaluation survey, health equity was also identified as an area requiring more information, training, and support. Reviewing the Health Equity Strategy will help increase Board of Health members’ understanding of this topic. An education session on health equity is being planned for the Board of Health in July of this year.
Current Initiatives
The OPHS provide detailed expectations concerning what Boards of Health are required to do, but they do not include how these should be met. The WECHU’s Health Equity Strategy describes how the organization plans to address these requirements. It is a plan that supports all staff and the Board of Health to build health equity consideration into planning and service delivery.
The WECHU’s Health Equity Strategy is informed by an extensive literature review, consultations with experts in the field of public health equity action, and shaped by staff feedback. It is intended to direct organizational priorities around health equity and outline a shared understanding of equity focused approaches. To increase the effectiveness of the Health Equity Strategy, a detailed action plan is included. This action plan is based on a yearly quality improvement process, enabling the WECHU to continually revise specific approaches to better meet the needs of our staff and the community. This plan is being widely communicated to staff within the organization and will be included as a part of the health equity education session planned for the Board of Health this year.
Consultation:
The following individuals contributed to this report:
- Kristy McBeth, Director, Knowledge Management Division
- Marc Frey, Manager, Planning & Strategic Initiatives Department
Approved by:
Theresa Marentette, Acting CEO