Island Health is committed to workplace safety and violence prevention. As part of this commitment, Violence Risk Assessments (VRAs) are being conducted across our facilities to identify risks and opportunities to improve workplace safety. Medical Staff participation is essential to this work, and your feedback, insights, and workplace experiences will help identify concerns and inform practical solutions to create safer care environments.
The latest Health Authority Engagement Survey Report found that 32% of Island Health providers experienced a physical safety incident in the past 12 months, underscoring the need for continued action to improve workplace safety. Your participation and feedback will help support safer workplaces across Island Health.
What is a Violence Risk Assessment?
A Violence Risk Assessment (VRA) is a structured process used to:
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Identify risks of workplace violence (e.g., hazardous conditions, activities, or situations)
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Assess existing violence safety measures
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Recommend actions to reduce risk of violence
The VRA process supports:
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Identifying gaps and opportunities related to staff safety
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Compliance with WorkSafeBC Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 4.28
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Accreditation Canada requirements for workplace safety
If a VRA has already been completed, a Violence Risk Re-Assessment may be conducted to identify any risk level updates needed.
Overview of the VRA Process
A VRA follows a standardized 9-step process. While each unit may have unique considerations, the core steps include:
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Initiate VRA
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Collect worker feedback
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Conduct data review
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Review policies and procedures
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Complete an environmental walk-through
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Conduct task analysis
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Summarize findings and identify themes
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Create the final VRA report
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Conduct follow-up and review
This process ensures a comprehensive assessment of risks and supports the development of practical, effective safety improvements.
Getting involved as a Medical Staff Participant
By engaging with the VRA process as a medical staff participant, you can ensure medical staff perspectives are reflected in workplace safety decisions by:
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Learning about, and engaging in, the VRA process
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Contributing your clinical perspective and experience
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Gathering and sharing feedback from colleagues
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Participating in the environmental walk-through
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Helping identify risks and potential solutions
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Contributing to the development and review of the final report
Time Commitment
The time required will vary depending on the unit and assessment process. In general:
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Initial Violence Risk Assessments typically require approximately 4–10 hours of Medical Staff participation.
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Violence Risk Re-Assessments typically require approximately 2–6 hours of Medical Staff participation.
Compensation
Medical staff participants will be compensated for their time at DOBC sessional rates.
Salaried medical staff will only be compensated for hours that fall outside of their regular paid working hours.
How to Sign Up
If you have received a notice that your unit and/or site is conducting a VRA or re-assessment and you would like to participate, please email MedStaffOHS@islandhealth.ca with the following information:
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Your full name, role, and unit
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Your preferred contact information (phone and email)
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Relevant experience or training in violence prevention (if applicable)
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Any scheduling constraints (e.g., specific days or times you are available)
Frequently Asked Questions
How are participants selected?
If multiple medical staff from the same unit apply, participants are selected based on factors such as:
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Scheduling availability (including dates, times, and total hours available)
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Relevant experience or training in violence prevention
Regardless of selection, every effort will be made to ensure that all medical staff wishing to contribute to the VRA are provided an opportunity to share their input.
How does funding work?
Funding is provided through the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Physician Psychological and Physical Safety.
Selected participants will be compensated for their time as follows:
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VRA participation: up to 10 hours
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Violence Risk Re-Assessment participation: up to 6 hours
Who is involved in this work?
This opportunity was developed in partnership by Island Health Medical and Academic Affiars (MAA), Occupational Health & Safety, and Doctors of BC.
Get Involved
Participating in a VRA is an opportunity to directly improve safety in your workplace. Your input helps identify risks and shape meaningful solutions for your workplace. We look forward to your participation in this collaborative process as we address violence prevention and workplace safety at Island Health.