Physician Lead, Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliatio

Unity Health Toronto is working toward making transformative changes in its relationship with Indigenous peoples, and in improvements to health care and care experiences for Indigenous peoples at each of its sites. In order to continue building its capabilities to participate in reconciliation and advancing wellness of Indigenous peoples, Unity Health will be hiring a part time, 1 day a week, Physician Lead, Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships. The Physician Lead will co-lead the planning and implementation of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) care pathways including development and implementation of defined community to hospital and within hospital referral and care pathways.

This role is part of an initial Indigenous “cluster hire” that will include other roles (including a specialist nurse practitioner) to support the development of the Indigenous care pathways. The initial emphasis is on enhancing the quality and cultural safety of services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) community members who receive care from Unity Health Toronto. The Physician Lead will report to both the Director, Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships and Vice President, Care Experience and Equity, and will work closely with members of the Senior Leadership Team, the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Community Advisory Panel and the Director of Anti-racism, Equity and Social Accountability, in order to build a welcoming and culturally safe environment and support the provision of clinically excellent care and services at Unity Health for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis patients, families, and communities.

**Responsibilities**:
Supporting Unity Health staff and physicians to uphold enhanced FNIM individual and community level accountabilities for the services they provide
Provide support by bridging communication when concerns arise and advising on the development of individual, program and system level quality assurance systems specific to the quality of care provided to FNIM patients.
Works in collaboration with clinical leaders to support the monitoring and oversight of health care professionals and physicians at Unity Health Toronto, with respect to the quality of care provided to Indigenous peoples
Provides clinical input in to goal setting and strategy planning
Supports Unity Health clinical colleagues and leaders to ensure that appropriate clinical policies, procedures and patient safety and quality monitoring are in place and that these policies, procedures, and patient safety and quality monitoring mechanisms are contributing to high quality care and experiences for FNIM patients, families, and communities across Unity Health.
Ongoing engagement with FNIM patients, families, and communities to understand FNIM community service needs and requirements
Commitment to and understanding of Unity Health Toronto’s Vision, Mission and Values and the need for ongoing harmonization of this Vision, Mission, and Values with FNIM community service needs and requirements.

**Qualifications**:
Proven work experience as a Physician Lead or similar role
Licensed and certified to practice medicine, along with experience practicing in family medicine, emergency medicine, or another relevant specialty that has included caring for Indigenous patients and their families
Indigenous identity and lived experience with Indigenous communities; existing ties to local and regional communities and nations would be considered an asset;
Five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in clinical medicine
Two (2) years of experience working hospital leadership and/or administrative roles or comparable healthcare leadership experience
Recent Indigenous health care administration experience in an Indigenous health organizational setting working with patients and their families or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience;
Experience must include a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of trauma informed practices, and the impacts of systemic racism and colonization experienced by Indigenous Peoples;
Exceptional interpersonal and relationship management skills with ability to gain cooperation and build trust as a means of influencing outcomes;
Awareness of federal and provincial government policies and their impact on Indigenous health;
Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing complex concepts/information to all levels of staff/external customers to address sensitive and other situations, resolve conflicts, motivate, negotiate/persuade others at all levels required;
Ability to speak one or more Indigenous languages an asset.
Strong understanding of Indigenous cultures and traditions, as well as local Indigenous and community groups and agencies;

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