2018–2022 Strategic Plan Development Report

PDF Version

January 2018

• About Us
• Purpose
• Strategic Planning Process
• What We Heard
• 2018–2022 Strategic Plan
• Values
• Strategic Priorities
• Implementation and Monitoring

Acknowledgements

Many individuals and groups contributed to the 2018–2022 Strategic Plan. The Board of Health guided and directed the Plan’s development. The Strategic Plan Committee provided content and feedback throughout the process. Public Health Sudbury & Districts staff, community members, and partners provided valuable input into the Plan. Finally, the Strategic Planning Project Team brought all insights and information together to create the 2018–2022 Strategic Plan.

Thank you all for your support and commitment to Public Health.

Message from Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer

I am very pleased to present the Public Health Sudbury & Districts 2018–2022 Strategic Plan. This plan builds on our past
successes and directs our future actions, working in partnership to create optimal conditions for health for all. Throughout its history, Public Health Sudbury & Districts has continually sought to evolve and strengthen public health practice. We look forward to working with all communities over the course of the 2018–2022 Strategic Plan to improve opportunities for health — now and into the future… Because, we are Public Health, and this is what we do!

Dr. Penny Sutcliffe

About Us

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to working locally with individuals, families, communities, and partner agencies, to promote and protect health and to prevent disease for everyone.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is one of 36 local public health agencies in Ontario. We have a main office in the City of Greater Sudbury and five offices throughout the districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin. We serve 196,448 residents across 18 municipalities and two unorganized areas. Our service area spans a geographical area of approximately 46,550 km².ⁱ This service area is home to over 21, 000 Indigenous Peoples, who reside in urban settings and in the area’s 13 First Nations communities. First Nations in this region are signatory to two main treaties: Robinson Huron and Treaty 9. We respectfully acknowledge the First Peoples of this territory.ⁱⁱ

The unique geographic and population profiles of our area have an impact on health and health challenges and they inform how Public Health can best support individual and community health. For example, the Public Health Sudbury & Districts is characterized by:

• a low population density compared to Ontario (4 vs. 15 persons per square kilometre).
• 82% of the population living in Greater Sudbury (only 7% of the total landmass of Public Health Sudbury & Districts).
• 19% of the population aged 65+ (vs. 17% in Ontario), 30% aged 45 to 64, and 15% aged 0 to 14.
• 26 % of the population with French as a mother tongue.
• 13% of residents in the Manitoulin District with an Aboriginal language as mother tongue.
• 13% of individuals living in poverty.
• 1 in 5 children under the age of six living in poverty.ⁱⁱⁱ

An autonomous Board of Health governs our work. Board members are municipal councilors or citizen appointees from the City of Greater Sudbury and the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts, and some are provincial appointees. Our programs and services are funded by municipal and provincial governments. Finally, our mandate is outlined in the Ontario Public Health Standards: Requirements for Programs, Services, and Accountability.

Notes:

• ⁱ Statistics Canada, 2017
• ⁱⁱ Statistics Canada, 2011
• ⁱⁱⁱ Statistics Canada, 2017

Purpose

Strategic plans outline what we plan to do and how we plan to do it. Over the past five years, our Strategic Plan has inspired us to forge ahead in a number of areas, including, for example, poverty reduction programming, engaging and collaborating with stakeholders, research and sharing of information, and developing our workforce. Our 2018–2022 Strategic Plan builds on past successes and highlights new opportunities to guide our work.

Strategic Planning Process

Evidence-informed practice is important for Public Health Sudbury & Districts. To inform the 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, we used information from the literature, local health status data, and an environmental scan of other local public health agency strategic plans. We also engaged with many stakeholders.

Stakeholder Feedback

It was important to gain insight from our stakeholders on the role of Public Health Sudbury & Districts in the community and on what our strategic priorities should be. To do this, we sought input from community members and partners, the Board of Health, Senior Management, and staff. All gave feedback on the previous strategic plan and recommended areas of focus for the new plan. Staff, senior management, and Board of Health members provided information on how the 2013–2017 Strategic Plan resonated and which values they felt should ultimately guide our work. Community partners discussed their collaborations with Public Health Sudbury & Districts and how priorities could align with their work. Community members identified their top areas of importance for public health.

Strategic Plan Engagement Snapshot

What We Heard

It was determined that our Vision and Mission remain relevant moving forward into 2018–2022. A five-year plan is best for incorporating new 2018 public health requirements and evolving local needs. Key feedback about strategic plan components included: having fewer values; combining similar priorities and sub-elements; eliminating duplication between values and priorities; creating short and memorable priorities; using clear language; and ensuring consistency with guiding documents. There were also suggestions for key priority areas including: health equity, engagement (including Indigenous engagement and engagement with persons with lived experience); trust; transparency; capacity; innovation; evidence-informed practice; mental health; strengthening relationships; communication; role of public health; and northern perspectives. This valuable feedback was considered throughout the development of the 2018–2022 Strategic Plan.

2018–2022 Strategic Plan

Vision

Healthier communities for all.

Mission

Working with our communities to promote and protect health and to prevent disease for everyone.

Values

Humility

We are modest and self-reflective. We respond to the needs of others, are open to feedback, and seek to understand biases in order to develop and maintain genuine relationships.

Trust

We are honest and dependable, and show integrity in our actions. We encourage transparency and accountability in decision-making, collaboration, and service delivery. We work truthfully and honour our commitments.

Respect

We treat all individuals with mutual respect and sensitivity. We show regard and consideration for our team members, partners, and communities and value all contributions.

Rationale

Each value guides day-to-day work and showcases the thoughts and actions of Public Health Sudbury & Districts. Value statements help apply the values and enhance our commitment and promise to the public.

Strategic Priorities

Equitable Opportunities

We decrease health inequities and strive for equitable opportunities for health.

In order to decrease health inequities and strive for equitable opportunities for all for health, Public Health Sudbury & Districts will:

• Address a broad range of social and economic factors that impact health, including mental health
• Support awareness, education, advocacy, and policy development to reduce health inequities
• Tailor programs and services to reflect community voices and needs
• Champion actions to decrease health inequities within an integrated health system
• Support all communities to reach their full health potential

Rationale

Equitable opportunities highlights our focus on health equity so everyone can reach their full health potential. Social and economic conditions such as education, income, physical environments, and culture, continue to be important for staff, Board of Health members, the public, and community partners. Over the next five years, Public Health Sudbury & Districts will continue to work to address inequities to ensure equitable opportunities for all.

Meaningful Relationships

We establish meaningful relationships that lead to successful partnerships, collaborations and engagement.

Establishing meaningful relationships that lead to successful partnerships, collaborations and engagement, will require Public Health Sudbury & Districts to:

• Nurture strong relationships with local communities, organizations, municipalities, and other parts of the health system
• Facilitate diverse community engagement, including engagement with people with lived experience, for the planning, development, and implementation of public health initiatives
• Engage with Indigenous populations in a way that is meaningful for them
• Help build capacity among partners to promote resilience and mental wellness in our communities
• Collaborate with a diverse range of sectors

Rationale

Public Health Sudbury & Districts has always been involved in local, provincial, and national partnerships to meet the needs of our communities. Feedback showed the need to work with the public, community partners, and Indigenous communities, to better our work. We will aim to have meaningful relationships that support our programs and services and that promote and protect health and prevent disease.

Practice Excellence

We strive for ongoing excellence in public health practice including, program and service development and delivery.

To strive for excellence in public health practice Public Health Sudbury & Districts will:

• Use local data to adapt programs and services to neighbourhoods and populations with the greatest needs
• Ensure effective public health practice to collect, use, and generate quality evidence
• Apply relevant and timely surveillance, evaluation, and research results
• Implement innovative approaches for programs and services that can be adapted to reflect change and community needs
• Work with communities and other parts of the health system to deliver population level interventions

Rationale

Our organization has a long history of promoting excellence and innovation in public health. Engagement activities showed that we should aim for excellent service through client experiences, evidence-informed public health practice, and innovation. A focus on practice excellence will make sure that Public Health Sudbury & Districts reviews new information, adapts to changes, and supports opportunities for health in our communities.

Organizational Commitment

We advance organization-wide commitment and ensure that we are well positioned to support the work of public health.

To foster organizational commitment and ensure efficiencies, continued staff engagement and capacity building Public Health Sudbury & Districts will:

• Cultivate a skilled, diverse, and responsive workforce
• Ensure a culture of continuous quality improvement and ongoing learning
• Increase awareness of the role of public health and our programs and services
• Strengthen organizational culture, engagement, and resiliency
• Foster a work environment that supports and sustains mental health and well-being
• Demonstrate accountability and transparency to our clients, communities and stakeholders

Rationale

A priority focused on our commitment allows Public Health Sudbury & Districts to build upon previous successes, develop a skilled workforce, and support the work of the public health system. During engagement activities, staff and Board of Health members noted the importance of reviewing internal processes. Focusing on internal development and effectiveness will not only affect change and performance but, will allow us to provide top services to local communities and show our ongoing commitment to public health.

Implementation and Monitoring

The 2018–2022 Strategic Plan is positioned to guide and inform our programs, services, and initiatives. A number of tools and processes will help us stay the course to address our strategic priorities. These include: a dissemination plan, a performance monitoring plan, and our mandate outlined in the Ontario Public Health Standards.

The Strategic Plan of Public Health Sudbury & Districts will be put into action through a dissemination plan that will guide the communication, implementation, and monitoring of our efforts. Dissemination activities will focus on the integration of the strategic priorities and values into the everyday practice of staff members. Activities will also promote stakeholder awareness of the role of public health and an exploration of how best we can support the work of others.

Ultimately, as we put into practice the 2018–2022 Strategic Plan we strive to work on our Mission: Working with our communities to promote and protect health and to prevent disease for everyone and achieve our Vision: Healthier communities for all!

Contact Us

We will continue to share developments related to the Public Health Sudbury & Districts 2018–2022 Strategic Plan on our website at phsd.ca.

Have questions? Connect with us!

 

 

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This item was last modified on April 30, 2019