Scarborough Health Network (SHN) is advancing its Indigenous Health Program with the appointment of Ellie Henry as its new Indigenous Patient Navigator.
Ellie is an RPN who hails from Alderville First Nation, an Indigenous reserve just one hour outside of Scarborough. After living in Scarborough in her youth, she is returning to the community to help coordinate more inclusive care and services to better meet the needs of Indigenous patients and their families.
Ellie has over seven years of experience supervising various staff in healthcare settings within First Nations communities. Through her nursing background, she has also supported community care within Palliative Care, Long-Term Care, and Community Clinics.
She is well-versed in working with interprofessional teams and coordinating and integrating care services across the healthcare system. Ellie has successfully supervised staff within various healthcare settings and First Nations communities, showcasing her leadership acumen. Her accomplishments include the development and implementation of the home support program at Scugog Island First Nation, where she demonstrated exceptional program management and coordination skills.
“Our community has certain cultural practices and ceremonies that can help Indigenous patients," said Ellie. “There are organizations in Toronto with traditional healers and ceremonies. Sometimes, I'm able to tell a patient about these traditional options that they may not expect to be available to them or have ever considered before. Now at SHN, this can become part of their care plan with their physician and care team."
A key part of the IPN role is improving access to culturally safe healthcare for Scarborough's Indigenous community members, and Ellie's own personal connection to Indigenous culture and care options have well equipped her for this vital role.
“There was a time when I was experiencing poor mental health due to an ended relationship. I contacted Anishnawbe Health Toronto and they had me come in to see a traditional healer. He performed a ceremony, gave me some medicine to go home with, and even gave me my spirit name. I felt so connected and healed. It was an amazing experience and Indigenous patients should know it's an option for them."
Ellie will support and advocate for Indigenous patients and their loved ones. This includes building an open and welcoming care environment within the Network where Indigenous patients feel safe to seek and receive traditional healing.
Ellie will assist SHN care teams in addressing the cultural and spiritual needs of Indigenous patients and families by facilitating access to both hospital and community services. She will also educate and coach staff to provide culturally safe care so that Indigenous cultural safety can be embedded as an essential principle throughout SHN.
Existing navigational and advocacy supports currently provided by local community and regional partners will be integrated with supports available through the IPN role. Ellie will also play a role in community engagement, creating an advisory committee, policy development, health literacy, and other building blocks to support the development of an Indigenous Health program at SHN.