Rhea Farris honoured with 2024 Making Waves award for advancing equity in healthcare

Rhea Farris’s biggest motivation at work is simple: people. She doesn’t just support healthcare teams and patients, she listens to them and advocates with them. 

“I’m passionate about listening to the voices of patients, providers and staff,” Rhea says. “My favourite part of my job is facilitating those voices being heard, so folks in the Annapolis Valley can get the best care from the right person.”

Rhea is the health services lead with Primary Healthcare in Nova Scotia’s Western Zone. And in every aspect of her work, she leads with a deep commitment to making care more equitable, inclusive and compassionate.

This year, that commitment was recognized in a meaningful way. Rhea is the 2024 recipient of the Making Waves Award for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Reconciliation and Accessibility (EDIRA).

The Making Waves awards celebrate the dedication and impact of employees, physicians, researchers, learners and volunteers across Nova Scotia Health. With more than 160 nominations submitted this year, the most ever, the awards reflect a growing culture of recognition and appreciation within the organization. 

The awards highlight people who push Nova Scotia Health’s vision, mission, values and strategic directions forward. Rhea exemplifies this through her daily work in the Annapolis Valley and her advocacy for both staff and the communities they serve.

Rhea supports collaborative family practice teams, known as Health Homes, ensuring they have what they need to deliver safe, top quality primary care. As a registered social worker, she also provides leadership to primary healthcare social workers across the Western Zone.

“Healthcare workers are the foundation of quality care in Nova Scotia. Without them there is no healthcare system,” Rhea says. “I am privileged to bring their perspectives, concerns and successes forward to different conversations to ensure their vision is at the core of decision making.” 

Rhea points out there’s a positive domino effect when her colleagues have everything they need to perform at their best. “By making every effort to ensure staff have the supports and tools they need to do their jobs, not only does this produce happier and more fulfilled employees, but patients and community members feel that in the care they receive.” 

As a registered social worker, Rhea feels equally passionate about equity deserving groups having safe access to the right care. “I am very grateful to have the opportunity to bring forward a different perspective and advocate for equity deserving groups within our community and primary healthcare,” she says. 

She supports these needs by contributing this perspective to interview guides, onboarding, ongoing training and policy development. 

Thanks in part to her social work background, the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, reconciliation and accessibility are extremely important to Rhea and affect how she practices in her health services lead role.

“To me, EDIRA means that we as an organization and province recognize that inequalities exist. These inequities result in people having different levels of access to care, and different relationships and treatment in their workplace. EDIRA stands for the effort put forward to consistently show up for equity deserving groups, within Nova Scotia Health and beyond,” Rhea says.

She is quick to share credit, highlighting the work of partners like the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia and welcoming communities coordinator Colleen Belle. Their collaboration has helped guide important education and awareness across the organization.

“While I’m honoured to receive this award, I think it’s important to recognize all of us who’ve taken part in the learning,” she says. “The work we’re doing together is what’s making change possible.”

Nova Scotia Health touches the lives of every Nova Scotian, and it’s people like Rhea Farris who ensure that care is not just accessible but equitable, inclusive and human-centered. Her leadership is a reminder that the health system doesn’t just need smart solutions, it needs heart to lead the way forward. 

Photo of Rhea Farris.