The First Nations Health Council (FNHC) established the First Nations Interim Health Governance Committee (FNIHGC) in February 2008 FNHC TIMELINE | image | to consider, develop and implement a new structure for the governance of First Nations health services in British Columbia, which will initially include regional health planning and administration as well as health design, delivery and accountability. The health governance framework will reflect the service delivery needs of First Nations and will define results to be achieved. The new governance structure for First Nations health services in British Columbia will have four essential components:
• First Nations Health Governing Body
• First Nations Health Council
• Provincial Advisory Committee on First Nations Health (formerly First Nations Health Advisory Committee)
• Association of Health Directors and other Health Professionals
The Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan (TCA) and the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan (TFNHP) are the two agreements that essentially direct all of the work of the FNIHGC. The TCA serves as a framework for the TFNHP and both are essentially being carried out in two, but parallel, processes. The twenty-nine (29) action items as outlined in the TCA and the other process is Governance, Relationships and Accountability as outlined in the TFNHP. The FNHC recognizes the importance of keeping the health governance work separate from the work to implement the health actions in the short term to avoid confusion and to ensure progress continues to be made in the area of health actions while this highly political discussion proceeds. The focus for the FNIHGC will be to lead work on behalf of the FNHC to work with First Nation Communities to develop a new health governance structure.