The statement from the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, the College of Dental Surgeons of BC, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, and College of Pharmacists of BC apologizes to the Indigenous people and communities who have experienced racism while engaging with those colleges or receiving services and supports from the health professionals they regulate.

The colleges pledge that their organizations will “become anti-racist" and support the more than 90,000 health professionals they regulate to do the same.

“When the In Plain Sight report on racism in health care was released late last year, First Nations health leaders called on our partners to stand with us in declaring zero tolerance of racism and commit to holding the people and systems perpetuating racism in health care accountable," said FNHA CEO Richard Jock.

“We welcome this strong statement from four of those partners and we will continue to work with them – and other health care partners – to take specific and meaningful action to integrate cultural humility and cultural safety throughout the health care system."

The FNHA has a strategy focusing on regional plans and approaches. As a key part of its actions to promote cultural safety and humility in health services, joint declarations of commitment to cultural safety and humility have been signed with all of the health regulatory bodies in BC, as well as with other provincial and federal health partners. Furthermore, First Nations-led primary care initiatives are designed to provide safe havens within the system for First Nations people.

“These declarations – and statements like this recent one from the four colleges – address systemic racism and guide health system transformation by giving us a common vision, language and framework," said the FNHA's Board Chair Colleen Erickson. “They pave the way for the next steps of strengthening our joint efforts to align with First Nation interests in health governance, Bill-41, the social determinants of health, and Nation-rebuilding." 

Read the statement from the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, the College of Dental Surgeons of BC, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, and College of Pharmacists of BC about racism in health care: https://www.cpsbc.ca/files/pdf/Joint-Statement-on-Racism-in-Health-Care-2021-05-11.pdf.

Read the First Nations health governors response to the Addressing Racism report: https://www.fnha.ca/about/news-and-events/news/zero-tolerance-of-racism-basic-first-step-to-ensure-equal-access-to-health-care-for-first-nations-people-in-bc

Read more about the FNHA's work on cultural humility and cultural safety:
https://www.fnha.ca/wellness/cultural-humility.​

Download this information in PDF format here​.