Vancouver, BC – HealthCareCAN, the national voice of healthcare organizations and hospitals across Canada, and the Mental Health Commission of Canada are pleased to launch the Declaration of Commitment to Psychological Health and Safety in Healthcare (the Declaration).
“The psychological health and safety of the professionals at our member facilities is imperative to providing their patients with quality care,” said Bill Tholl, President and CEO of HealthCareCAN. “I whole-heartedly support this initiative, and encourage all healthcare organizations to become signatories.”
“Psychological health and safety at work is revolutionizing how we prevent, treat and accommodate mental health problems and illnesses in the workplace. As someone who has worked extensively on the frontlines of healthcare, I can say with certainty this shift is needed. I urge every healthcare organization in the country to sign onto this bold action,” said Louise Bradley, President and CEO of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
The Declaration, championed by the By Health, For Health Collaborative (the Collaborative), publicly commits health organizations to protecting the psychological health and safety of their staff and to improving their work environments by agreeing to:
- Take action in alignment with the principles of the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace;
- Recognize the value of their staff’s psychological health and safety and its interdependence with patient safety, and that creating a psychologically safe work environment benefits both patients and staff;
- Cultivate a workplace culture that respects their staff’s needs including, but not limited to, their psychological health and safety; and,
- Be leaders and champions for advancing workplace psychological health and safety.
Organizations that have already signed the Declaration, including Health PEI, Menno Place, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, and Michael Garron Hospital, have stated that doing so is in the best interest of their respective organizations. “Creating a work environment that promotes good mental health is socially responsible, cost effective, and helps attract and keep good employees,” said Katrina Philopoulos, Manager of Occupational Health Safety & Wellness at the Nova Scotia Health Authority.
The By Health, For Health Collaborative was created in 2016 and is comprised of healthcare leaders representing over 20 organizations from across Canada committed to advancing psychological health and safety. The Collaborative envisions healthcare workplaces as leaders and role models in providing psychologically healthy and safe work environments in Canada. In partnership with the Mental Health Commission of Canada and HealthCareCAN, the Collaborative has developed a two-year action plan to put this vision into action through mentoring and knowledge exchange, the development of tools and resources, and system transformation. The Declaration of Commitment to Psychological Health and Safety in Healthcare is one of the actions in this workplan.
Learn more at: http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/workplace-healthcare-declaration
Testimonials
“Signing the Declaration reinforces Providence Health Care’s commitment to provide a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. Health care is a unique, complicated and often unpredictable working environment and we must ensure our staff and physicians have access to the resources necessary to achieve and maintain good mental health, in order to provide high quality patient/resident/client care.”
— Sandy Coughlin, Director, OH&S, Providence Health Care
“By signing the Declaration, we continue our public commitment to our staff and community at large. Michael Garron Hospital understands the value of this approach as reflected in higher staff engagement scores, patient satisfaction scores, lower disability rates and prescription drug costs. Implementation of the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace is a necessity and rapidly becoming a best practice for all Canadian industries.”
— Christine Devine, Wellness Specialist, Michael Garron Hospital
”By signing the Declaration and displaying the emblem, other healthcare organizations have the opportunity to make a clear, visible statement that they recognize the importance of psychological health and safety in their workplaces. In the years to come, this will be a hallmark of health care employers of choice in Canada.”
— Garth Waite, Organizational Development Lead, Health PEI
HEALTHCARECAN
HealthCareCAN is the national voice of healthcare organizations and hospitals across Canada. We foster informed and continuous, results-oriented discovery and innovation across the continuum of healthcare. We act with others to enhance the health of the people of Canada; to build the capability for high quality care; and to help ensure value for money in publicly financed, healthcare programs.
www.healthcarecan.ca
THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION OF CANADA
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is a catalyst for change. We are collaborating with hundreds of partners to change the attitudes of Canadians toward mental health problems and to improve services and support. Our goal is to help people who live with mental health problems and illnesses lead meaningful and productive lives. Together we create change. The Mental Health Commission of Canada is funded by Health Canada.
www.mentalhealthcommission.ca | strategy.mentalhealthcommission.ca
Media Contacts:
HealthCareCAN
Lucie Boileau, Director of Communications, Marketing and Government Relations
Office: 855-236-0213/613-241-8005 x 205
Mobile: 613-462-5604
lboileau@healthcarecan.ca
Hélène Côté, Senior Communications Advisor, Marketing and Communications
Office: 613.683.3952
Mobile: 613.857.0840
hcote@mentalhealthcommission.ca
