Funding for Community Health Interpretation Services
Nova Scotians from diverse backgrounds now have access to health care that better responds to their needs, with the help of community interpreters and a new set of guidelines for health- care professionals.
The province is investing $200,000 in diversity efforts in primary health, including community health interpretation services. Community health interpreters are specially trained professionals who help patients from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds communicate with health-care providers.
"Nova Scotia is becoming an increasingly diverse province, and the health system needs to respond," said Health Minister Chris d'Entremont. "We're committed to seeing that all Nova Scotians get the care they need, quickly and appropriately."
The Department of Health has worked with district health authorities, the IWK Health Centre, community health boards, individual health-care providers, academics and community groups to make primary health care more responsive to cultural diversity. The guidelines identify the need for cultural competence training, so staff have the skills and knowledge to work with people from various cultures. The guidelines also call for improved race, ethnicity and language statistics; efforts at recruitment and retention of diverse primary health care professionals; and increased screening for chronic diseases in populations most at risk.
"We are very pleased that Nova Scotia is the first province in Canada to adopt guidelines such as these," said Mr. d'Entremont.
The guidelines have been widely endorsed, including by the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia, which recently released a position statement on culturally competent care based on the new guidelines.
"Cultural diversity can be a catalyst for generating new ideas, knowledge, and partnerships," said Linda Hamilton, executive director of the College of Registered Nurses. "From the perspective of nursing, understanding an individual's culture is paramount in the provision of quality care and the achievement of the best possible health outcomes."
Educational resources for health care providers were also part of the initiative and are available on the Department of Health's website at www.gov.ns.ca/health/primaryhealthcare