The Fraser Health voice

Writing with the Fraser Health voice means to use language and a tone that represents our values – respect, caring and trust. Use language that has your reader in mind.

How to connect with your audience

• Focus your message on the recipient and their information needs.
• Use inclusive, people-first language (e.g. people who use drugs, instead of drug users or addicts).
• Tell them why the information matters to them as an individual (patient, resident, client, staff or medical staff member, volunteer, etc.).
• If you are writing for a diverse audience, consider having materials translated. Contact Diversity Services at diversityservices@fraserhealth.ca.

*** Learn more in our inclusive language guidelines section.

Referring to Fraser Health in writing

• Refer to ourselves in the first person where it makes sense (e.g. ‘we’), otherwise, refer to our organization as Fraser Health on first reference. On second reference, use ‘the health authority’ or ‘we’.
• Do not capitalize health authority when it stands alone.
• Use our full name, ‘Fraser Health Authority’ in legal documents.
• Avoid the abbreviations ‘FH’ and ‘FHA’ unless space is limited (e.g. in a table or chart, or end note).

Fraser Health-specific references

• Our board is referred to as the Fraser Health Board. It is also acceptable on second reference to refer to it as the board.
• Do not capitalize board when it stands alone.
• We have a President and CEO.
• We use health care, not healthcare.

Using the tagline in writing

• When our tagline – better health, best in health care – is used within text, use all the usual grammar and style conventions required.
• If the tagline appears in the middle of a sentence, it should not be capitalized, but set apart by dashes at either end. Example: Fraser Health’s vision – better health, best in health care — guides our planning and decisions.
• If it appears at the end of a sentence, it can be set apart with a colon at the beginning and a period at the end. A comma between better health and best in health care is permitted.
• The following example illustrates both, Together we strive to achieve the Fraser Health vision: Better health, best in health care.

Download our writing style guide.