Medical Health Officer

**Job Description**:
In accordance with the Vision, Purpose, and Values, and strategic direction of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) patient and staff safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone; as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position, including cultural safety and humility. Island Health and its employees are committed to culturally safe health and care, respecting Indigenous health and wellness beliefs, practices, customs and ceremonies, unique to Vancouver Island First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples.

In a growing public health team at Island Health, we have a number of openings for Medical Health Officers (MHO). These roles offer opportunities to practice public health and provide expert public health leadership for policies, programs and services to improve health and reduce health inequities in a diverse population of 916 thousand. Your public health practice in Island Health can focus on urban or rural and remote population health issues, as well as region wide leadership in health assessment, communicable disease control, environmental health, healthy public policy, mental health promotion, substance use, Indigenous health, injury prevention or other public health issues of interest. Joining our expanding and team provides the chance build or continue your career, mentor residents and participate in research. These positions are located in the central Vancouver Island, which includes Nanaimo, and a number of smaller municipalities, rural, and First Nations communities, and offer the opportunity to work closely with a team of Medical Health Officers supporting a population of 455 000 people living in Central and North Vancouver Island.

Working within a Regional Health Authority, and reporting to the Chief Medical Health Officer, the Medical Health Officer (MHO) is part of a team that aims to continually improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Vancouver Island and associated Islands The MHO fulfils this role in accordance with the Vision, Purpose, Values and strategic direction of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health), the Ministry of Health's Guiding Framework for Public Health, the Public Health Act, and other relevant provincial, federal and local legislation.

The MHO recognizes the inherent rights and title of Indigenous peoples to govern themselves and as decision makers. Advancing, with Indigenous communities, on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a key priority.

The Medical Health Officer provides medical leadership for the provision of public health services and programs, population health assessment, and community engagement within assigned geographic areas. The MHO is responsible for enforcing all public health legislation in assigned geographic areas, and, from time to time, other geographies in Island Health.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:
**Education, Training And Experience**:
Medical Doctor and a Fellow of the Royal Collage of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Medical License from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.

**Skills And Abilities**:

- Demonstrated leadership ability and highly developed interpersonal and communication skills and strategic thinking.
- Demonstrated commitment to client focused services and teamwork.
- Established record of evidence-informed practice.
- Ability to integrate administrative, professional and operational aspects of public health programs throughout the Island Health in an effective and efficient manner.
- Ability to develop and nurture an environment where quality improvement principles are embraced and used on a continuous basis.

**Job Requirements**: