Physician Health and Safety Summit: Building connections and forging change

As part of Doctors of BC’s commitment to improving and protecting the health and safety of BC physicians, we recently held the 2024 Physician Health and Safety Summit in which health care partners under the Physician Health and Safety Agreement (PHS Agreement) came together to build on existing commitments to physician safety and foster in-person collaboration and community-building. 

Creating diverse partnerships to protect physician health and safety in BC

This event provided the opportunity for representatives from provincial, regional, and community-based physician groups, the Physician Health Program (PHP), SWITCH BC, the Ministry of Health, and Doctors of BC to learn from one another and discuss planning and priorities to help shape future strategies. Regional Working Groups from each health authority – which have been established under the PHS Agreement – shared details about current physician safety initiatives such as the new incident reporting systems, work on respectful workplace processes, and improvements to physician training and preparedness. Attendees also participated in a panel session with WorkSafeBC and heard from Doctors of BC President-Elect, Dr Charlene Lui, who spoke about the importance of physician safety and shared personal experiences.

Physician health and safety: A strategic priority

Our most recent Health Authority Engagement Survey once again highlighted key challenges physicians are facing, including concerns for their own safety and the number of physical and psychological safety issues physicians face in their workplace. Members have told us this is a vital area of importance for them and we continue to prioritize physician health and safety in the work we do – including incorporating it as one of four priorities in our new five-year Strategic Plan. By involving physicians as key collaborators, we hope to leverage lived experiences to increase the influence of the physician voice in the BC health care system—making it safer for all.

Next steps

The insights from the Summit will be used to support Doctors of BC’s upcoming PMA negotiations, specifically regarding the renewal of the PHS Agreement. Watch also for a summary report on the Summit, to be released in the coming weeks, which will include further details on outcomes and the path forward.

Questions? Contact View Email Addressadvocacy@doctorsofbc.ca.