Indigenous Health & Wellness

The IHWS is a guiding framework and accountability mechanism for IH’s 30,000+ staff and physicians. It outlines the standards and actions needed to ensure care is high quality, culturally safe and effective for all Indigenous peoples and families in the Interior Region.

The strategy is informed by and supports commitments to Indigenous partners through signed agreements, including the Letters of Understanding (LOUs), Partnership Accord, and Cultural Safety Declaration, as well as the IH strategic priorities and Ministry of Health (MOH) mandate.

Looking ahead

IH is renewing the IHWS for release in 2027. The voices of clients, patients, families, communities, health service providers, and Indigenous IH staff are integral to informing the refreshed strategy. EngageIH has been implemented as an engagement platform to gather feedback through surveys and quick polls, and to share updates on the strategy’s development.

Read the strategy

To learn more, visit EngageIH.ca/IHWS

Learn more about Indigenous Health & Wellness engagement initiatives within the Interior.

Our commitment to Indigenous health and wellness is strengthened through partnerships.

Learn more

Indigenous Patient Navigators (IPNs) are important members of our care teams. They work in hospitals and health centres throughout Interior Health and are available to support Indigenous peoples and their families during their care. Having an Indigenous Patient Navigator as part of the patient care team creates a safe space for Indigenous peoples to interact with the health system.

Whether or not you wish to self-identify as Indigenous, Indigenous Patient Navigators are here for you. The goal of an Indigenous Patient Navigator is to help make your hospital care and journey to wellness safe, comfortable and less confusing. 

Learn more about Indigenous Patient Navigators

The Indigenous Discharge Toolkit was developed to assist clinicians with discharge planning for Indigenous patients from Royal Inland Hospital to their home communities within the Thompson Cariboo Region of Interior Health.

The toolkit's resource document helps the care team connect with appropriate community members and resources based on the patient's needs and wishes. The toolkit is also informative for many clinicians within the Thompson-Cariboo region.

Much gratitude to all of the Indigenous partners, First Nations Health Authority Community Health Practice Consultants, Nation Health Managers, First Nations Health Directors, Métis Health System Advocates, Nation Community Engagement Coordinators, Indigenous Patient Navigators, and the many more who contributed to the toolkit development. 

If you have any queries about the department, program or project identity, or if there is any missing/updated information you would like to provide, please do not hesitate to contact us at RIH.EDU@interiorhealth.ca.

Access the Indigenous Discharge Toolkit: Thompson Cariboo

Interior Voices is our Indigenous health and wellness podcast series that explores the intersection of health and culture in the workplace, our everyday lives and patient care.

Learn more about the podcast