Strengths And Weakness Of The British Columbia Guiding Framework

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British Columbia Guiding Framework for Public Health: Strengths and Weaknesses Public health in British Columbia [BC] plays an integral role in protecting and promoting the health and well-being of the population. The Promote, Protect, Prevent: Our Health Beings Here-British Columbia Guiding Framework for Public Health (2013) aims to accomplish this through several mechanisms, such as reinforcing core public health functions as the foundation for public health services and supporting health equity. Moreover, the framework amalgamates established resources and strategies to support public health and address key public health challenges, such as effective partnerships and inter-sectoral practice. While the framework supports the Ministry of …show more content…

The Provincial Health Service Authority (PHSA) indicate that assuming opportunities to incorporate strategies to reduce health inequities in health program and service planning is vital for health program and service managers and workers (PHSA, 2011). The Guiding Framework (2013) attempts to “address conditions that create inequity, barriers to access and gaps in service; consider the specific needs of vulnerable or disadvantaged populations” (p. 13). The goals and objectives established in the framework reflect a sound approach to reducing health inequities. For example, the framework indicates that a First Nations lens will be applied in implementing and evaluating all objectives to ensure meaningful inclusion of and benefit to BC First Nations and Aboriginal peoples. As the framework aims to improve maternal health in remote and rural areas via improving access to perinatal services and resources. However, while the framework provides an overall equity direction, it does not embody other targeted objectives aimed at improving health outcomes of some specific marginalized and vulnerable populations, which as discussed later are important alongside universal approaches. For example, within the positive mental and prevention of substance harms goal, the document fails to discusses and address the unequal mental health outcomes those living in poverty and incarceration can

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