Accomplishments
in 2024-2025

Accessibility – Goals

  1. Sites, services, and information meet provincial accessibility and patient safety standards.

  2. Hearing & Speech Nova Scotia (HSNS) Patient and Family Centred Care is guided by Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Reconciliation, and Accessibility (EDIRA).

  3. IT supports accessible administration.

  4. Safety—physical and psychological—is a core value.

This year, we achieved:

  • Completed Yarmouth clinic restoration; relocation of Halifax Community Clinic planned for summer 2025.

  • Established EDIRA framework and action plan across services, education, policy, communication, and recruitment.

  • Implemented organization-wide EDIRA education and resources.

  • Trialed access strategies including remote audiology, virtual group care, extended hours, and appointment reminder systems.

  • Approved Life After Stroke Innovations Fund project for 2025.

  • Introduced staff wellness initiatives including Wellness Minute, Cheers to Peers, site wellness events, and Employee and Family Assistance Program sessions.

  • Increased staff participation and feedback opportunities; hosted staff appreciation day.

  • Integrated EDIRA and Patient- and Family-Centred Care into onboarding and Accreditation Canada preparation.

  • Conducted mock tracers and developed tools for Accreditation Canada site visit.

Communication – Goals

  1. Expand internal and external communication strategies.

  2. Share client, staff, and partner experience stories.

  3. Promote HSNS as a household name.

This year, we achieved:

  • Expanded feedback and communication channels for clients, staff, and partners.

  • Established presence on the YourHealthNS app.

  • Enhanced Engagement Plan to include external voices in strategic planning.

  • Increased transparency through social media and website updates.

  • Piloted appointment reminders for audiology.

  • Achieved +130% in social media views, +142% in website visits, +213% in total reach.

Engagement – Goals

  1. Support professional and leadership development.

  2. Use collaborative decision-making with staff, clients, and partners.

  3. Promote recruitment, retention, and inclusive workplace culture.

This year, we achieved:

  • Established Audiology and Speech-Language Best Practice Councils.

  • Improved informed consent practices.

  • Advanced recruitment and retention through targeted, EDIRA-aligned strategies.

  • Developed Workforce Action Plan and evaluation metrics.

  • Launched Provincial Preschool Autism Service with partners.

  • Formalized Patient Advisor roles on HSNS Board.

  • Updated incident reporting processes to include tracking of discrimination and racism; enhanced transparency and staff education.

  • Strengthened student support through Dalhousie University partnerships and onboarding tools.

  • Finalized Reconciliation Action Plan; conducted staff interviews; held Board EDIRA workshop.

  • Hosted partnership planning with Eskasoni and Millbrook.

  • Attended career fairs and launched outreach for rural and underrepresented communities.

  • Developed targeted strategies for hard-to-fill EDIRA-designated roles.