Recruitment for conversation group: anyone interested in improving services for patients with life-limiting illness and their caregivers

A patient sitting in a wheelchair with a small smile being seen at home by a nurse who is taking their blood pressure and using a stethoscope.

What are we doing?

  • Vancouver Community Palliative Care Program physicians are leading a pilot project in Vancouver to improve care for patients who do not have a primary care provider, and who are living at home with a life-limiting illness. This pilot project aims to provide both primary and palliative care for a three-to-six month period by a nurse practitioner embedded in the Vancouver Community Palliative Care Program team.

  • Palliative care is an approach that aims to improve the quality of life of patients who are living with serious illness, and their families, by addressing the patients' symptoms and distress.

Who should apply?

  • Patients with lived experience. This experience may or may not include a life-limiting illness that may currently benefit or may benefit in the future from specialized palliative care and who do not* have a primary care provider (i.e., no family doctor or nurse practitioner).

  • Caregivers (i.e., unpaid family members and friends) with lived experience. This experience may or may not include supporting or having previously supported patients with lived/living experience of a life-limiting illness that may currently benefit, could have benefitted in the past, or may benefit in the future from specialized palliative care and who do/did not* have a primary care provider (i.e., no family doctor or nurse practitioner).

*Please note*: if you do/did have a primary care provider while receiving (palliative) care and still feel your experiences could be helpful for this pilot project, we'd love to hear from you as well. Please complete the application form.

How can you get involved?

  • The Vancouver Community Palliative Care Program pilot project team is organizing virtual conversation groups and inviting patients, and/or caregivers, to participate.

  • A survey is available for those who are not able to join the planned virtual conversation groups.

*Please note*: if you may currently benefit from this new pilot project, you are also welcome to reach out to the project team who will put you in touch with someone from the program to answer your questions. You do not have to participate in a survey or focus group in order to access care through the pilot project.

What is the deadline to apply for these engagement opportunities?

  • If you are interested in the virtual conversation group or survey, we invite you to complete the application form below.

  • Date: early to mid February, 2025

  • Time of day: based on the times shared in the application form that work for the most people.

  • If you are a patient with a life-limiting illness and/or a caregiver who may need help with respite or childcare to join the conversation group or participate in the survey, or if you identify as a seldom-heard group—such as those facing discrimination or bias due to age, cultural background, location, or income—please mention this in your application. Selected participants will receive an honorarium of $25 per hour.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact ce@vch.ca. Thank you for your time and interest.

We would like to acknowledge that our places of work and the Vancouver Coastal Health facilities are located within the traditional territories of the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo-Xai’xais, Lil’wat, Musqueam, N’Quatqua, Nuxalk, Samahquam, shíshálh, Skatin, Squamish, Tla’amin, Tsleil-Waututh, Wuikinuxv, and Xa’xtsa.



A patient sitting in a wheelchair with a small smile being seen at home by a nurse who is taking their blood pressure and using a stethoscope.

What are we doing?

  • Vancouver Community Palliative Care Program physicians are leading a pilot project in Vancouver to improve care for patients who do not have a primary care provider, and who are living at home with a life-limiting illness. This pilot project aims to provide both primary and palliative care for a three-to-six month period by a nurse practitioner embedded in the Vancouver Community Palliative Care Program team.

  • Palliative care is an approach that aims to improve the quality of life of patients who are living with serious illness, and their families, by addressing the patients' symptoms and distress.

Who should apply?

  • Patients with lived experience. This experience may or may not include a life-limiting illness that may currently benefit or may benefit in the future from specialized palliative care and who do not* have a primary care provider (i.e., no family doctor or nurse practitioner).

  • Caregivers (i.e., unpaid family members and friends) with lived experience. This experience may or may not include supporting or having previously supported patients with lived/living experience of a life-limiting illness that may currently benefit, could have benefitted in the past, or may benefit in the future from specialized palliative care and who do/did not* have a primary care provider (i.e., no family doctor or nurse practitioner).

*Please note*: if you do/did have a primary care provider while receiving (palliative) care and still feel your experiences could be helpful for this pilot project, we'd love to hear from you as well. Please complete the application form.

How can you get involved?

  • The Vancouver Community Palliative Care Program pilot project team is organizing virtual conversation groups and inviting patients, and/or caregivers, to participate.

  • A survey is available for those who are not able to join the planned virtual conversation groups.

*Please note*: if you may currently benefit from this new pilot project, you are also welcome to reach out to the project team who will put you in touch with someone from the program to answer your questions. You do not have to participate in a survey or focus group in order to access care through the pilot project.

What is the deadline to apply for these engagement opportunities?

  • If you are interested in the virtual conversation group or survey, we invite you to complete the application form below.

  • Date: early to mid February, 2025

  • Time of day: based on the times shared in the application form that work for the most people.

  • If you are a patient with a life-limiting illness and/or a caregiver who may need help with respite or childcare to join the conversation group or participate in the survey, or if you identify as a seldom-heard group—such as those facing discrimination or bias due to age, cultural background, location, or income—please mention this in your application. Selected participants will receive an honorarium of $25 per hour.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact ce@vch.ca. Thank you for your time and interest.

We would like to acknowledge that our places of work and the Vancouver Coastal Health facilities are located within the traditional territories of the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo-Xai’xais, Lil’wat, Musqueam, N’Quatqua, Nuxalk, Samahquam, shíshálh, Skatin, Squamish, Tla’amin, Tsleil-Waututh, Wuikinuxv, and Xa’xtsa.



Page last updated: 30 Jan 2025, 11:02 AM