June 2020 – Strategic Priorities: Narrative Report

Introduction

The Public Health Sudbury & Districts 2018-2022 Strategic Plan includes four Strategic Priorities that represent key areas of focus. The Strategic Priorities build on past successes and direct future actions to create optimal conditions for health for all. The Strategic Priorities: Narrative Report highlights stories from Public Health Sudbury & Districts programs and services to paint a picture of our priorities in action. These Narrative Reports are provided to the Board of Health two times per year – in the spring and fall – as a component of the 2018-2022 Accountability Monitoring Plan.

It is important to note that narratives do not necessarily reflect a specific reporting timeline. Rather, they represent an ongoing monitoring component of our 2018–2022 Strategic Plan.

Equitable Opportunities

We strive for health equity by championing equal opportunities for health.

Meaningful Relationships

We establish meaningful relationships that lead to successful partnerships, collaborations, and engagement.

Practice Excellence

We strive for ongoing excellence in public health practice including, program and service development and delivery.

Organizational Commitment

We advance organization-wide commitment and ensure that we are well positioned to support the work of public health.

Priority 1: Equitable Opportunities

Finding innovative ways to reduce stigma towards people who use drugs

Substance use affects us all, and is associated with poor health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. Those who use substances also face stigma and, unfortunately, stigma is one of the largest, most impactful barriers that individuals who use drugs face daily.

In the fall of 2019 two campaigns: “We are Jeff” and “Those People are Us” were launched. “We Are Jeff” portrays those in our community who are most affected by drug use. The campaign is a call-out to our community, asking that we all do our part to challenge the stigma faced by people who use drugs.

“Those People are Us” highlights that any one of us can be affected by addiction and how important it is to start the conversation with our friends and families about substance use.

People who use drugs come from all walks of life, and we don’t know who might be struggling. These campaigns help to support those who may be using substances and help to create a healthier community for all.

Priority 2: Meaningful Relationships

Collaborative research that impacts the work we do

The Louise Picard Public Health Research Grant aims to encourage collaboration between academic and public health researchers to explore research areas of shared interest. Funded jointly by Laurentian University and Public Health Sudbury & Districts, each grant encourages partnership on research that is relevant to public health.

Since 2003, 57 Louise Picard Public Health Research Grant projects have been funded which have provided an opportunity for Public Health Sudbury & Districts and Laurentian University staff to learn from one another: Public Health staff have gained valuable experience and built their research skills, and Laurentian University faculty and students have had the opportunity to learn from practitioners to contribute to evidence-informed practice. Most importantly, findings from Louise Picard Public Health Grant funded projects have helped to close the gaps in evidence and have shaped our programming, from food security and housing investigations to injury prevention and workforce development, all to better meet the needs of the communities we serve.

Priority 3: Practice Excellence

The key to a coordinated response

In December 2019 and January 2020, two positive hepatitis A lab reports were confirmed in food handlers prompting the immediate activation of Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Emergency Control Group. Activation of the control group ensured a rapid and coordinated cross-agency response.

Key public health actions to reduce the risk of spreading the virus through food and person-to-person contact included:

Closure of the affected food premises.
Disposal of potentially contaminated food.
Ensuring the cleaning and disinfecting of the premises was done before reopening.
Excluding several food handlers from the workplace.
Tracking and contacting all individuals who were close contacts of the food handlers with the Hepatitis A.
Providing counselling and education to over 1 900 concerned individuals.
Immunizing of over 2 800 people from December 17, 2019 to January 8, 2020.

Clear and open communication, dedicated staff, and the use of evidence to continually assess our public health actions during this situation made sure our agency was effectively prepared to respond to this situation. A thorough debrief with all involved ensured improvements to practice are in place for future community emergency responses.

Priority 4: Organizational Commitment

Client Service Standards

In January of 2020, Public Health Sudbury & Districts launched our Client Service Standards. These standards outline the level of service clients can expect under normal circumstances and emphasizes our commitment to our citizens. The Client Service Standards not only meet Ministry requirements but, also help to clarify expectations for clients and employees, and ensure that we are providing timely, quality, transparent, and appropriate public health services to individuals across our service area.

Our standards focus on:

Setting times for getting back to our clients to answer their questions, calls and emails.
Ensuring the location, hours of service, and language we use make it easier for our clients to access our programs and services.
Providing the public information in a way that is timely and accessible to them.
Making it easier for our French speaking clients to access services in the language they are most comfortable with.

We recognize the importance of providing quality service to clients and partners and, with these standards, it is our goal that clients, partners, and the public are satisfied with the services received from our agency.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts Accountability Monitoring Framework

Accountability Monitoring Framework. For a breakdown of the Framework Please see below.

Local Context

1. What

Vision: Healthier communities for all.
Mission: Working with communities to promote and protect health and prevent disease for everyone.
Values: Humility, Trust, Respect

2. Why

Provincial Organizational Requirements
Provincial and Local Program Requirements
Board of Health Strategic Priorities

3. How

Provincial Lens

Ministry Attestations (Compliance)
Ministry Program Indicators

Local Lens

Locally Determined Organizational Indicators
Locally Developed Program Indicators
Narrative Reports

This item was last modified on October 29, 2020