Nova Scotia Health began planning and responding to COVID-19 early in 2020. Within and across public health, staff and leadership were involved continually, responding, innovating, and supporting the pandemic response. A key to Nova Scotia’s approach was consistent development of innovations and responses that contributed to the emergency pandemic response. The Public Health Mobile Unit (PHMU), launched in December 2020, was one of these innovations. Focused on COVID-19 testing initially, the work expanded to include supporting public health’s COVID-19 response with immunization, community rapid testing, negative results and navigating community to COVID-19 resources.
In 2022, PHMU identified the need to evaluate its implementation and understand process improvements. Partnering with Nova Scotia Health’s Research and Innovation, the PHMU explored, reflected, and identified areas of strength and opportunities. Taking these evaluation lessons learned from the development, implementation and impact on community also led to actioning an engagement strategy in 2023. An engagement initiative was vital to listen, collaborate with community, inform, and reflect with current stakeholders. PHMU collaborated with Nova Scotia Health’s Engagement team to complete an engagement and listening initiative.
The evaluation and engagement provide understanding to proactively considering the needs and assets of moving forward after COVID-19 response concludes. Maintaining the trust and confidence build through the pandemic response with community, hearing what worked well and what didn’t, enable the PHMU to plan effectively.
The Public Health Mobile Unit is continuing as a provincial public health program. The development of a refreshed Public Health Mobile Unit Community Response Program was identified as a Public Health transformation priority to support Action for Health in March 2024. This work is in the early days and occurs as a parallel process to the operational planning required for public health.
As we move forward, we are grateful to those who contributed to the evaluation and engagement. Thank you to everyone who provided insights on how the PHMU can play a role in our communities across Nova Scotia. The final reports are available on this page.
Nova Scotia Health began planning and responding to COVID-19 early in 2020. Within and across public health, staff and leadership were involved continually, responding, innovating, and supporting the pandemic response. A key to Nova Scotia’s approach was consistent development of innovations and responses that contributed to the emergency pandemic response. The Public Health Mobile Unit (PHMU), launched in December 2020, was one of these innovations. Focused on COVID-19 testing initially, the work expanded to include supporting public health’s COVID-19 response with immunization, community rapid testing, negative results and navigating community to COVID-19 resources.
In 2022, PHMU identified the need to evaluate its implementation and understand process improvements. Partnering with Nova Scotia Health’s Research and Innovation, the PHMU explored, reflected, and identified areas of strength and opportunities. Taking these evaluation lessons learned from the development, implementation and impact on community also led to actioning an engagement strategy in 2023. An engagement initiative was vital to listen, collaborate with community, inform, and reflect with current stakeholders. PHMU collaborated with Nova Scotia Health’s Engagement team to complete an engagement and listening initiative.
The evaluation and engagement provide understanding to proactively considering the needs and assets of moving forward after COVID-19 response concludes. Maintaining the trust and confidence build through the pandemic response with community, hearing what worked well and what didn’t, enable the PHMU to plan effectively.
The Public Health Mobile Unit is continuing as a provincial public health program. The development of a refreshed Public Health Mobile Unit Community Response Program was identified as a Public Health transformation priority to support Action for Health in March 2024. This work is in the early days and occurs as a parallel process to the operational planning required for public health.
As we move forward, we are grateful to those who contributed to the evaluation and engagement. Thank you to everyone who provided insights on how the PHMU can play a role in our communities across Nova Scotia. The final reports are available on this page.
