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Associate Physician, Correctional Health Services - BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services

Vancouver, Canada

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Overview

Working within Correctional Health Services, you will provide trauma-informed care to clients presenting with a wide variety and complexity of acute and chronic illnesses/diseases, including communicable diseases, substance dependency, and mental health and general health issues. You will be a member of an interdisciplinary, collaborative health care team, liaising with other health care professionals, clients, family members, and community agencies to provide clients with safe and effective care. Be part of a team where you can live and work in your community, positively influence an incarcerated individual’s journey down a new path, and see the difference you can make as you serve the diverse populations of the BC Corrections system.

  • Job Type: Full-Time, Part-Time, Temporary, Casual, Contractor
  • Job Level: Entry, Mid, Senior
  • Travel: Minimal

Success Profile

What does it take to be successful working in Correctional Health Services at PHSA? Check out the top traits we’re looking for and see if you have the right mix.

  • Achiever
  • Confident
  • Detail-oriented
  • Good Listener
  • Team Player
  • Trustworthy

About Correctional Health Services

Correctional Health Services (CHS), part of BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS), a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), is an integral part of British Columbia’s health care system. CHS provides health services at the 10 provincial correctional centres. PHSA is mandated to improve the quality and continuity of care for clients across the province during their time in correctional facilities and as they reintegrate into the community. This will help to improve access to primary health care, as well as mental health and substance use support for inmates; key needs that have been identified not just in BC, but internationally.

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“Corrections was something different, so I tried it, and I never left.”

Kelsey Holzworth

Registered (Clinic) Nurse, Prince George Regional Correctional Centre

picture of shannon

“We have a really robust health care system within corrections. We have what we call our Mental Health and Substance Use team and it’s made up of allied health professionals as well as nurses, and that includes Mental Health Coordinators, Concurrent Disorder Counsellors, Addictions Counsellors, Access and Transition Nurses who do a lot of discharge planning work, Mental Health & Substance Use Nurses, Social Workers as well as Support Workers.”

Shannon Petovello

Mental Health Coordinator, Alouette Correctional Centre for Women

"This is a fantastic place to learn and grow as a nurse. I had only been a nurse for a year when I started here."

Jennifer Gill

Licensed Practical Nurse, Alouette Correctional Centre for Women

picture of jennifer

New Grad Opportunities with Correctional Health Services

It’s just amazing. Get behind the scenes, and learn why Corrections nurses what they do. Intrigued? We’re hiring!

Benefits

Benefits vary by job type and are confirmed in the interview and hiring process.

  • Healthcare

    Extended Health and Dental Benefits

  • Continuing Education

    Access to More than 2.000 in-house training programs

  • Relocation Reimbursement

    Relocation support for out-of-province hires

  • Collaboration

    Work with individuals bringing expertise from a variety of backgrounds

  • Variety

    Opportunity to work across multiple roles, such as clinic nurse and mental health & substance use nurse roles.

  • Compensation

    Equitable hourly rates in accordance with collective agreements

Job Details

Associate Physician, Correctional Health Services - BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services Vancouver, Canada
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Job ID 2421011_pl355 Date posted 07/19/2024

Associate Physician, Correctional Health Services
BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services
Coquitlam, British Columbia

General Information

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS), as part of the provincial mental health services continuum, provides a diverse range of specialized, "one-of-a-kind" tertiary mental health and substance use services to adults across the province. These include services located at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital and six regional clinics, the Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health & Addiction, and Heartwood Centre for Women. In addition to delivering these clinical services, BCMHSUS provides provincial leadership for system-wide improvement through its work in: health promotion and illness prevention; knowledge exchange; and research and academic teaching.

The Associate Physician, Correctional Health Services, practices under the direction of the Medical Director, with direct reporting to the site physician. The medical team provides care to patients within one of the province’s correctional facilities, operated by BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS), a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). Patients are within the court system, and typically require health care alongside their care for mental health and substance addition issues.

The Associate Physician participates in the delivery of patient care, along with multidisciplinary health providers, both in person and by supervised telehealth. Scope of patient care includes health assessments for all patients; examination, diagnosis, and treatment of sick/injured patients, providing referrals to other facilities/services as required, and providing care within the segregation unit.

Specific Accountabilities

Patient Care

  • Participates in patient care at one of ten Correctional facilities in British Columbia under the supervision of a CHS physician or delegate along with other health care providers. Services may be delivered through supervised telehealth as required, which could include video link.
  • Conducts a health assessment of each patient; examines, diagnoses and treats sick or injured patients who are presented for examination, including patients in the segregation unit.
  • Examine patients with dental complaints where dental services are not immediately available, administering medication or other relief, and referring to dentistry service as indicated.

Patient Management

  • Performs and documents admission history and physical examinations, progress notes, discharge summaries, medication reconciliations as per BC College and organizational standards, policies, and guidelines.
  • Arranges for the services of hospitals/medical facilities when the facilities of the Correctional Centre are inadequate for necessary examination, diagnosis or treatment of a patient.
  • Manages the day-to-day care of patients, including writing medical orders, on charts and consultations of other services.

Professional Development

  • Participate in Medical Staff Meetings, chaired by the Medical Director, to discuss Correctional Health Services. These calls will be up to 1.5 hours in duration and scheduled in advance.
  • Participates in appropriate professional development activities (a minimum of 50 hours per year, 25 hours of which must be accredited training recognized by the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons’ Maintenance of Certification Program for healthcare professionals).

Qualifications

This position requires a medical degree from a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, and at least 2 years’ accredited postgraduate training, verified by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC). Candidates must have successfully completed Part 1 of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) or Steps 1 through 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLEs). Additionally, candidates must meet the CPSBC’s English language proficiency requirements; be eligible for registration with the CPSBC in the Associate Physician class; and have Canadian Citizenship, be a permanent resident, or be legally able to live and work in British Columbia. Experience working with mental health and substance use, or in correctional facilities is considered an asset.

The successful candidate will also be committed to upholding the shared responsibility of creating lasting and meaningful reconciliation in Canada as per the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (2015) and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019).

As a strong asset for consideration, we are looking for our successful candidate to have: Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

How to apply:

Applications, accompanied by a cover letter, detailed curriculum vitae, and the name, title, rank and contact information of four references, should be directed to Health Match BC at:

https://applicants.healthmatchbc.org/JobsBoard/HMBC/HMBCVacancies.aspx?VacancyId=60539&SearchPage=0&SearchItemIndex=2&RegionIds=&ProfessionId=14&SpecialtyId=39&SubSpecialtyId=0&PositionTypeIds=1,2,3&CommunityId=


For further questions regarding the application process please direct to:

Heather Finn
Advisor, Talent Acquisition – Clinical Services
Email: physicianrecruitment@phsa.ca


About Provincial Health Services Authority


The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose.

Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA is committed to employment equity, encouraging all qualified individuals to apply. We recognize that our ability to provide the best care for our diverse patient populations relies on a rich diversity of skills, knowledge, background and experience, and value a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.

Reconciliation is an ongoing process and a shared responsibility for all of us. The BC Government unanimous passing of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act was a significant step forward in this journey—one that all health authorities are expected to support as we work in cooperation with Indigenous Peoples to establish a clear and sustainable path to meaningful and lasting reconciliation. True reconciliation will take time and ongoing commitment to work with Indigenous Peoples as we move toward self-determination. Guiding these efforts PHSA must uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents such as including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

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