Health minister convenes working group to examine 'philosophy' of non-violent intervention

Walter Strong
Northern News Services
Published Monday, January 26, 2015

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
In light of a recent violent incident at Stanton Territorial Hospital, the territorial government has convened a working group to re-evaluate territory-wide hospital security policies.

The formation of the working group, led by the departments of Health and Social Service and Justice, follows a Nov. 20 incident when an irate patient flew into a rage, destroyed medical equipment and forced nurses and staff to hide behind locked doors for protection.

"We're concerned with the safety of our (hospital) staff and visitors," Health Minister Glen Abernethy told News/North last week.

"There are no issues (outside Yellowknife) quite to the same degree as the one we experienced recently at Stanton," Abernethy said.

"But we don't want to focus just on Stanton as we go forward beyond this."

Hospital security staff, it turns out, were neither trained nor sanctioned to physically intervene in the situation. Abernethy said hospital policy prevents physical intervention.

"One of the challenges is (at) Stanton they actually have an operating philosophy of non-(violent) crisis intervention," Abernethy said.

"The bottom line is that Stanton has (made) a philosophical decision to emphasize non-(violent) crisis intervention as opposed to physical restraint when dealing with violent or potentially violent clients within the facility."

In the days following the incident, public statements were made by the head of the nurses union and a hospital spokesperson suggesting there may be a legislative reason why hospital security staff are not allowed to physically intervene in a crisis situation.

According to Abernethy, no such legislation exists.

"It's not going to take new legislation to address this problem," Abernethy added.

"It may require a philosophical change in the way they approach safety within the institution."

Abernethy said the working group will re-examine this policy in light of the November incident.

The working group is scheduled to convene for the first time next week.

If this sounds familiar, that's because it is.

Improved police response protocols were one of the outcomes of the 2011 Leishman report.

The report followed from the tragic Nov. 4, 2009 incident when then 35-year-old Allisdair Leishman was able to plunge a knife into his own chest twice while under care at the hospital.

One of those thrusts pierced his heart, cutting off blood flow to his brain which left him severely brain damaged and cognitively impaired.

He remains under long-term care at the hospital to this day.

The primary recommendation of that original review - that a special constabulary be formed capable and authorized to intervene in dangerous situations at the hospital - was ultimately rejected in favour of renewed RCMP protocols.

The full report was never made public.

Those renewed protocols did not prevent the November incident, so the

working group will consider new protocols, as well as

possibly reintroduce the idea of a trained special constabulary to protect staff and visitors.

But Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley rejects the idea that a new working group is needed.

Instead, he wants immediate action.

"We need staff at the emergency medical room - it's the busiest medical office in the Northwest Territories - qualified and able to physically intervene in a crisis situation," Bromley told News/North.

For Bromley, the Leishman report recommendation of trained special constables on staff at the hospital was a good one.

He said renewed protocols - and another working group - do not address immediate staff concerns.

"A working group?" Bromley asked.

"What does that tell our staff? What does it tell the public who have to be there for an emergency medical need?"