ABOUT THIS EVENT
Scott Jeffery is a Deaf leader with lived experience navigating health care systems and a strong commitment to improving access to Deaf, Deaf‑Blind and Hard of Hearing communities. As Manager, Language Services at Provincial Language Services (PLS), a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), Scott leads work that strengthens language access, accessibility, and culturally safe communication across BC’s health system.
Before joining PLS, Scott worked for over 10 years as a health care interpreter, supporting patients, families, health care providers, and administrators on the frontlines of care. This experience shapes his systems‑level approach and keeps his work grounded in real‑world clinical realities.
Through his role, Scott partners with health authorities and communities to address communication barriers and advance equitable, accessible health care for linguistically and culturally diverse populations, including immigrants, refugees, official minority language speakers, and Deaf, Deaf‑Blind and Hard of Hearing communities.
By the end of this session, participants will
- Understand health care providers’ legal obligations to ensure accessible communication, including key principles from Eldridge v. BC and relevant accessibility and language legislation.
- Recognize why language access is a patient safety and equity requirement, not an ad hoc or optional service.
- Learn when and how to access language services to support safe, respectful, and effective communication with patients.
Expectations for Behaviour
Diversity Circles, as part of the BCIT Respect, Diversity, and Inclusion (RDI) Office, has outlined the Expectations for Behaviour for our events and initiatives.
Diversity Circles has always benefitted from the empathy, sincerity, and respectful curiosity of our community, and this has helped create events and initiatives where we hold productive and authentic discussions, advancing our knowledge and utilization of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles.
As our events and initiatives continue to reach out to diverse audiences which include BCIT employees, students, and partners (BCIT Student Association, BCIT Alumni Association, and industry guests), and as we have moved towards presenting events both in person and via teleconferencing platforms, we realize that having a set of expectations for behaviour will help maintain the accountable, respectful spaces our community has come to expect from Diversity Circles events and initiatives.
Please take the time to review our Expectations for Behaviour prior to your upcoming participation
ASL interpretation, lunch, and refreshments will be provided.
Please consider bringing a reusable container to help reduce food waste from the event.
If there are any needs you have to make this event more accessible and inclusive for you please reach out and let us know.
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