With over 140 compelling nominations submitted for this internal recognition program—sharing how individuals, teams and volunteers brought our values to life across the province—the PHSA+ Awards is a testament to the outstanding contributions made by our staff who serve with compassion and purpose.
Since announcing the nominees for this year’s PHSA+ Awards, an awards selection committee comprised of leaders, employees, and past winners took on the difficult task of evaluating those nominations. It was an impressive list, which speaks to our commitment to approaching our work in a manner that is consistent with our values, the new ways we are working to improve the care we are offering, and the actions we are taking to make our workplaces safer.
Now, we introduce the well-deserving recipients of the 2023 PHSA+ Awards.
Individuals
Respiratory therapist, Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU), BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre
“Inder brings an infectious joy to his work, and perhaps more than anyone in the department, you can see the love he has for our patient population. He seeks out and builds relationships with patients' families to a great degree, and is able to use those relationships to better deliver patient-centered care. Inder is a passionate advocate for his patients and is unafraid to stand up for treatment plans that he feels are needed.”
Read how Indervir's upbeat, positive energy uplifts others during his shift and comforts his patients and their families.
Manager, Communications & Content Services, PHSA
“Maile shows how much she cares every single day, through her personal interactions but also through her dedication to PHSA's work, purpose, and values. Team members feel confident and inspired to do their best at work because Maile leads by example. We know she will be there for us if we need her. Maile truly does it all with a gentle demeanour and has an easy laugh at the ready.”
Read how Maile's leadership skills have inspired and driven change at PHSA Communications and beyond.
Program manager, T7 Medical Inpatients and Vascular Access teams, BC Children’s Hospital
“Mark uses trauma-informed, inclusive, and non-judgemental language when communicating with those around him. He demonstrates empathy by actively listening to patients, families, and the health care team. Mark's pride and joy for his career are evident in all he does on and for the patients, families, and staff on the unit.”
Read how Mark exemplifies PHSA's values through his leadership and compassion.
Patient care coordinator, Ashworth 4 (Severe Psychosis and Intensive Management), Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services
“May exemplifies PHSA values because she sees all her patients as people worthy of dignity and respect. Her belief in trauma-informed practice leads to the way she acts and communicates with patients. May's approach encourages her team to be better for their patients and to treat them with even greater compassion and kindness.”
Read how May looks for out-of-the-box solutions to meet patient needs at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital.
Executive director, BC Cancer – Abbotsford and Provincial Professional Practice (Nursing & Allied Health)
“Ruby emulates excellence in oncology nursing, exemplifying leadership and patient advocacy. She is a passionate leader who consistently demonstrates authenticity, vulnerability, and support for the teams she leads. Her positivity, sense of humour, and authenticity are apparent through her walkabouts on the units and coffee sessions.”
Learn more about how Ruby's unwavering commitment drives transformative health care solutions.
Teams
Program: BC Children’s Hospital
Team contact: Susan Poitras
“The ChildKind Project team has successfully placed BC Children's Hospital and BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as a gold standard in ensuring that every child and youth who accesses services at these facilities receive evidence-based care that recognizes, prevents and minimizes pain. The resources created by the team are being used province-wide, displaying how the impact has gone beyond the walls of BC Children's Hospital. The work done by this team has set the standard for other hospitals across Canada to follow as they pursue ChildKind International certification.”
Read more about the team's efforts in making this prestigious achievement happen.
Program: BC Transplant
Team contact: Parvind Grewal
“The Organ Donor Registry Rebuild Project Team worked collaboratively to deliver a product and service that represents all the PHSA values; an improved version of the Organ Donor Registry. The ODR offers an opportunity for British Columbians to practice compassion in offering one of the greatest gifts, the gift of life. This rebuild project was purposeful in every step of the project from initiation, planning, and execution, to closing.”
Read how the team upgraded the registry to a new system, finished on schedule and introduced significant improvements.
Program: BC Centre for Disease Control
Team contact: Jay McBain
“The STI education team at BCCDC initiated a working group to address barriers in access to syphilis treatment across the province. They went above and beyond to address missed opportunities and medication errors for syphilis treatment by working in collaboration with Pharmacy and Fraser Health Authority to address identified gaps. As a result, population-level interventions are supported as the transmission of infectious syphilis is curbed.”
Read more about their work on helping British Columbians gain access to safe and equitable treatment options for syphilis.
Program: BC Children’s Hospital
Team contact: Scott Fraser-Dauphinee
“The Slocan team has gone above and beyond a typical health-care redevelopment project by embracing the PHSA values of daring to innovate and cultivating partnerships. They have driven innovation through the adoption of a human-centred design approach that offers a systematic and empathetic framework for tackling complex challenges and creating meaningful solutions. The team has adopted a mindset that everyone can step up at any time and add value to the project, or lead a particular deliverable.”
Read how the team's collaborative approach is breaking down siloes and leading to critical conversations around gaps in the care that exists.
Program: BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services
Team contact: Sandy Tedjasubrata
“The project has aimed to bolster and display patient and family perspectives and talent, learn from their experiences, and contribute to their recovery beyond traditional clinical programming. This working group, which is composed of many different walks of life, prioritizes the artists, who are patient and family partners, in everything that they do. Members of the group have gone out of their way to support artists, making sure they are being treated with kindness and compassion.”
Read how this group helped to create a more welcoming environment at the Forensic Psychiatric Clinic in Nanaimo.
Workplace culture
Program: BC Children’s Hospital
Team contact: Mark Ramsey
“Our Professional Practice Group members encompass and embrace all of the PHSA values. They are compassionate in that they care about their colleagues, and about their place of work. They see value in the well-being of T7 as a whole, and through consistent, small acts, they've created a workplace that is safe, fun, and inspired. The group has been integral in elevating the morale on T7 and in building a sense of community and togetherness.”
Read how this group boosted morale and helped nurses connect with one another at a more personal level.
Volunteer
Program: BC Transplant
“Always positive and passionate about organ donation, Joanne is an incredible ambassador for BC Transplant. She shows respect for the groups she's interacting with at various events and she is compassionate to those learning first-hand about organ donation. All of our projects in our volunteer program are vital for fostering strong relationships with our partners and communities, and Joanne is a key member of the team contributing to the success of these initiatives.”
Learn more about Joanne's dedication and commitment to raising awareness about organ donation.
Program: BC Centre for Disease Control
Team contact: Shaila Jiwa
“The Anti Racism Working Group (ARWG) embodies and exemplifies all of the PHSA values, and was proactive having come together before the publication of the In Plain Sight Report. They are constantly trying to help take steps to move to be an anti-racist organization given the colonial underpinnings of our health care system. This work is done by members who are dedicated, compassionate, and when asked know their true north star.”
Read how this group exemplifies transformation and innovation at BCCDC.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all PHSA+ Award recipients. Thank you for your exceptional contributions to improving the health-care system for patients, clients and families across the province—and for cultivating a workplace experience your colleagues truly appreciate.
It is also important to recognize that good work is happening all across our organization. Whether or not this work is celebrated with an award, it is valued and contributes to better care experiences and outcomes for all.
This is an exciting time at our organization as we shift our priorities to help build a culturally safe, inclusive workplace where everyone feels like they belong.
Keep an eye out for stories and videos of this year’s recipients in the weeks to come on our website and social media channels.
The PHSA+ Awards are part of an internal recognition program that celebrates teams and individuals who bring our
PHSA values to life in the workplace. They go above and beyond to serve patients and families across B.C.
