Community Advisory Committee Survey Report and Action Plan
London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) Community Advisory Committee has gathered feedback from the community, patients, and LHSC team members to inform an action plan for the organization’s future. This action plan has been co-developed with LHSC’s leadership team as part of the hospital’s journey to improve its governance, finances, and operations.
In late 2024, the CAC conducted two surveys – one to gather input from LHSC staff, professional staff, volunteers, patient partners, and learners, and another to engage the public. The surveys were designed to better understand experiences with care, perspectives on LHSC’s current direction, and ideas for how LHSC can better meet the needs of the communities it serves.
4,000 people took the time to share thoughtful, honest feedback about what’s working well and where change is needed.
The surveys revealed several shared priorities, including:
- Staffing and workload;
- Patient volumes, access and wait times;
- Enhancing organizational communication and community engagement;
- Improving communication with patients and families;
- Training and development opportunities;
- Facilities, technology, equipment, and resources;
- Supporting vulnerable populations; and
- Partnership and collaboration.
Informed by this feedback, the CAC and LHSC’s leadership team have co-developed an action plan with a set of recommendations aligned to these priorities to help guide the organization’s path forward.
You can read the survey results and the action plan in the CAC Surveys Report PDF. A shorter summary of this report is also available.
What’s in the report?
The report includes a detailed summary of the survey results and the key themes and priorities that emerged. It also outlines a series of recommended actions, co-developed by the CAC and LHSC leadership, to improve operations, communication, and the overall care experience for patients, families, and team members.
The recommendations include:
Staffing and workload
Ensuring appropriate staffing numbers and improving team morale were common themes in the feedback. To address this, LHSC will align to best practices in staffing models, strengthen recognition programs, and introduce a refreshed wellness strategy.
Patient volumes, access and wait times
Feedback also included the need to address patient volumes, wait times, and access to emergency services, surgery, and specialist care. In response, LHSC will advance capital redevelopment efforts to support a growing and aging population, advance strategies to ensure patients receive care in the most appropriate setting, and better support patients in navigating the health-care system.
Enhance organizational communication and community engagement
Community members, staff and physicians want to see improved, clearer, and more consistent communication and engagement from LHSC. The hospital will continue holding regular staff and community forums to share organizational updates and answer questions. The hospital will also advance a comprehensive public engagement plan and welcome community applications to its new Board of Directors.
Improved communication with patients and families
Feedback also highlighted the need for improved communication with patients and families about their care. LHSC will therefore improve how patients receive information, including a redesigned, digitized patient handbook and more consistent and accessible online resources.
Training and development opportunities
LHSC team members expressed a desire for enhanced training and development. LHSC will offer training in working with Patient Partners, develop a comprehensive strategy to promote LHSC’s existing range of internal training opportunities, and offer an innovation day for staff to develop and pursue improvement ideas.
Facilities, technology, equipment and resources
Feedback highlighted the need for improved facilities and up-to-date technology. The hospital is responding with new processes for updating equipment and infrastructure, improved wayfinding through new digital tools, and technologies that improve patients’ access to their own health records.
Support vulnerable populations
As part of its commitment to serving all members of the community, the hospital is developing a renewed equity, diversity, and inclusion strategy and enhancing its support for vulnerable populations, including those experiencing mental health challenges and addictions. LHSC will also work towards adopting Joyce's Principle while continuing to advance Indigenous health equity and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action in Health.
Partnership and collaboration
LHSC also heard about the importance of collaboration. As part of the action plan, it will therefore strengthen partnerships, including with St. Joseph’s Health Care London, to best support patients across our region and province.
Why does it matter?
Your input is critical as LHSC improves its operations and strengthens its ability to provide care for generations to come. You are helping the hospital identify opportunities for lasting change, guided by the people who know LHSC best.
The actions in this plan will help LHSC improve across a number of areas that are important to our patients, community, and team members, resulting in an improved care experience for all.
What’s next?
Change takes time, but LHSC’s goal remains clear: a stronger LHSC. As part of the hospital’s ongoing commitment to transparency, its leadership team will be providing regular updates on the progress of this plan.
You will find future progress updates on this page, in LHSC’s monthly Community Update Meetings, or on LHSC’s social media channels.
The focus of this work was on developing actions that are realistic and attainable in LHSC’s current financial situation. While these recommendations are tied directly to feedback received from the surveys, LHSC is also continuing its work to improve its governance, finances, operations, policies, and procedures through its detailed organizational review. The results of that work will also be shared as soon as they are finalized.
