Nova Scotia’s Health Equity Framework – a roadmap for system transformation

After a year in development, including an extensive community and public engagement process, Nova Scotia released its Health Equity Framework in July 2023. The Framework provides direction for all health system transformation work involving EDIRA (equity, diversity, inclusion, reconciliation, and accessibility) in the province.

This presentation will provide an overview of the Health Equity Framework and its envisioned impact on the healthcare workforce and the health system experience and outcomes of children, families, and communities. This will include an overview of its development and implementation, a breakdown of the main themes and how they link back to information collected through community and public engagement processes, with a particular focus on areas connected to child and family health.

Speakers:
Eric Hemphill, Director, Strategic Health Partnerships, Department of Health and Wellness, Nova Scotia
Eric is the Director, Strategic Health Partnerships with the Equity and Engagement Team at Nova Scotia's Department of Health and Wellness and has a background in Health Promotion/Public Health. His career has included working is project management, policy, and program evaluation-focused roles across the academic, non-profit, and public sectors, all with a focus on the social and structural determinants of health. Eric is now leading health system-wide teams to implement Nova Scotia’s Health Equity Framework.

Karen Mutyabule, Health Equity Advisor, Department of Health and Wellness, Nova Scotia
Karen currently serves as the Health Equity Advisor with the Equity and Engagement Team at Nova Scotia's Department of Health and Wellness. With a background in Public Policy and Management, she has served different equity initiatives in the impact sector (non-profit) for five years, addressing social determinants of health such as income, education, employment etc. She brings that experience to the public sector to work towards a health system that is responsive and reflective of the community voices and lived experiences of equity communities across Nova Scotia.