Bringing client perspectives into every conversation

When the Partners in Care committee first took shape, it was in response to a simple but powerful realization: Hearing & Speech Nova Scotia (HSNS) needed to truly hear and understand the voices of those we serve.

“We’ve always tried to imagine the client perspective,” says Erin Lamond, Manager at HSNS. “But imagining it isn’t the same as hearing it. Once we started working directly with people who had lived experience, we realized how much we were missing—and how much more thoughtful, compassionate, and effective our services could be with their voices at the table.”

The committee brings together clients, families, and caregivers with diverse backgrounds to share insight, challenge assumptions, and help co-design services. Their purpose is rooted in a principle widely echoed across the patient advocacy community: nothing about us without us.

Partners in Care exists to ensure that the services HSNS provides truly reflect what clients need—because they’ve helped shape them.

“Sometimes their input validates what we’re doing,” Erin says. “Other times, they stop us in our tracks with something we hadn’t considered but absolutely should have.”

This past year, the group celebrated several meaningful accomplishments. HSNS appointed two Patient Advisors, Ferne and Courtney, to the Board of Directors, bringing the clients’ voices directly into strategic decision-making.

The committee also successfully applied for an innovations grant to address a critical gap in stroke care. Brought forward by Ferne, the Life After Stroke project will create a part-time speech-language pathologist role to coordinate professional volunteers and support stroke survivors during the often-isolating period between rehabilitation and outpatient care.

Members like Ferne, Heather, Cheryle, Angela, Courtney, and Shaun have each shaped HSNS services in lasting ways, whether it’s Heather helping redesign early language group support, Cheryle contributing to staff orientation, Angela lending her design skills to resources, or Courtney co-chairing and facilitating meetings.

“Everyone brings something different,” Erin says. “But what unites them is their generosity, their insight, and a commitment to helping us grow together.”

Shaun Cadden, the committee’s first member, wrapped up his eight years of service this spring. A devoted father of two children with autism, he played an instrumental role in developing and reviewing HSNS standards of care. “He’s always been a steadfast advocate,” Erin says. “His presence made a difference. We’re incredibly grateful.”

Looking ahead, the goal is to embed the client voice from the very beginning—not just as a checkpoint, but as a foundation. “If we’re building something new, especially in communities like First Nations, for example, it has to be done with their partnership from the start,” Erin says. “We’re always better off when we build together.”

From sharing personal stories to shaping strategic plans, Partners in Care members continue to keep HSNS collaborative, responsive, and truly client-centred every step of the way.