Your digest

Reminders

• In case you missed the open board meeting on Dec. 3, you can watch the recording here.
• Our last town hall of the year will take place this Thursday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. ET. Don’t forget to submit your questions in advance for our expert panelists, CEO Dr. Graham Sher; Dr. Kathryn Webert, medical director and special advisor; Dr. Isra Levy, vice-president of medical affairs and innovation; and our new chief diversity officer, Dr. Yasmin Razack. You can send your written or video questions to communications@blood.ca, record an audio question by phoning 1-800-509-3329 or use this anonymous form.

New requirement for verifying employees’ COVID-19 vaccination status

Our vaccine policy has evolved as we continue to respond to the pandemic. The next phase of this policy will require all employees and fee-for-service contractors to show proof of vaccination to their managers. By now, employees across the country will have had the experience of showing proof of vaccination to gain access to many businesses. Our managers will use a similar verification process. They will schedule private meetings either in person or on Microsoft Teams between Dec. 16, 2021 and Jan. 31, 2022 where employees will need to show either a paper record or digital record of vaccination issued by a Canadian government (preferable in QR code format). This information will not be retained by your manager, and we ask that you do not send a copy via email or Teams chat. More information on this next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination policy is available on Connect and our vaccine policy page. We also welcome your questions at communications@blood.ca.

Thanking supporters of Canada’s Lifeline for the gift of more time

As a hospital respiratory therapist, Julia Moore was accustomed to busy shifts on the frontline during the holidays. But when her husband, Steve, suddenly became ill in 2002, nothing mattered more than spending time with her family. Sadly, Steve passed away but Julia is thankful to supporters of Canada’s Lifeline for giving her young family an extra year with him. This holiday season, she is sharing her family’s story and spreading the message about how charitable donations to Canadian Blood Services can help give families like hers the gift of more time with loved ones. Read more at blood.ca/stories.

Three new directors and a new chair appointed to Canadian Blood Services board

Appointed by the provincial and territorial ministers of health (except Quebec), our board of directors comprises 13 members. Each director serves for a term of four years and as such, new members are appointed when terms end. In December 2021, Mel Cappe (chair of the board), and directors Craig Knight and Dunbar Russell all completed their time on the Canadian Blood Services board. We thank them for their commitment, guidance and leadership. Replacing Mel Cappe in the role of chair of the board is Dr. Brian Postl who brings extensive medical, academic and governance expertise to the role. Joining him are three new board members, Donnie Wing, David Morhart and Bobby Kwon, all of whom have a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help guide the organization forward. You can learn more about our full board and each of our new board members on blood.ca/newsroom.

Design for all: removing barriers through universal design

On Dec. 3 we observed International Day of Persons with Disabilities to raise awareness about disabilities and the resources available in our workplace. Inclusion of persons with disabilities, among other equity-deserving groups, is central to Canadian Blood Services’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. To that end, we are adopting and applying principles of universal design (UD) to our new and renovated facilities. UD is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size or ability. Visit Connect to learn more about how we’re applying UD principles.

Question of the Day: With the Season of Giving campaign in full swing, what progress have we made so far in terms of filling open appointment slots between now and Jan. 4?

Since the Season of Giving campaign began on Nov. 26, support and action from the public has been very positive. We kicked off the campaign with a need to fill 38,000 open appointments for blood and plasma donation. Donors across the country have answered our call, and over the past two weeks we have filled approximately 20,000 appointments.

As of yesterday, we still need to fill 18,000 blood donation appointments between now and Jan. 4, 2022. The festive season can be a very busy time for people, but Canada’s Lifeline must be ready to support all patients at all times. Because of statutory holidays during the month of December, several collection opportunities will be lost. Select donor centres across the country will be open on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, in addition to regularly scheduled operating hours.

Read more about the Season of Giving campaign or some of the stories that have inspired people to donate. If you are eligible to donate, you can also book your appointment at blood.ca

 

 

About Your Digest

This digest highlights the latest policy and employee support measures, resources to help you manage our new reality and original content to remind us that what we do matters. This information can be found on blood.ca/employees from any device, no login required.

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Have questions? Check out blood.ca/employees or email us at communications@blood.ca.