TORONTO — Ontario’s patient ombudsman says he has seen a rising number of complaints about poor quality of care in the health\u002Dcare system and an increase in…
The ombudsman’s report found staffing shortages, COVID restrictions and service delays, combined with the fatigue and trauma arising from the pandemic contributed to increased tension and occasionally violence in health-care settings.“Several complainants reported being restrained in an unsafe manner that is inconsistent with the standard training for security guards that could cause severe injury or death,” the report said.
Most of those incidents with security guards occurred in emergency departments, on mental health wards and at screening.Article content“Hospital emergency departments have become the crucible where many of these pressures on the health-care system ignite,” Thompson said in the report. The ombudsman said he was concerned about how hospitals responded to complaints as patient-relations representatives often deferred to security. The report raised issue with the lack of a standardized process to investigate incidents involving security and hospital reluctance to share information with patients about who was involved in the incident.
The ombudsman also found that complaints about the conduct of security guards was not routinely shared with the Ministry of the Solicitor General, which oversees security guards. The ombudsman said some hospitals undertook “comprehensive reviews” of security guard incidents. Several hospitals said they were “actively considering” a requirement for security guards to wear body cameras.Share this article in your social network
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rising costs of buying ambulances for Ontario paramedic servicesIn 2018 three ambulance manufacturers merged, effectively creating a monopoly that has come with price increases so far costing taxpayers millions
Read more »
Ontario patient ombudsman sees rising complaints on health care qualityThere has been a 43 per cent increase in complaints from patients and caregivers who said they were treated with a lack of sensitivity and caring
Read more »
This is what happens to boats when people leave them in Lake OntarioAn abandoned boat left to freeze in Lake Ontario angered some Toronto residents at Humber Bay Park a couple of years ago. The boat was tied to a pu...
Read more »
Ontario Liberal leadership hopefuls say early vote boosts chances of defeating Doug FordA handful of Liberals in early jockeying to lead the party out of the doldrums after two disastrous provincial elections are pushing for a vote by the end of the year.
Read more »
Ontario Liberals pick former minister McGarry as party presidentKathryn McGarry, a former cabinet minister, will play a big role in crafting the party's leadership election as head of the 17-member executive
Read more »
Ontario Liberals name former cabinet minister Kathryn McGarry as new party presidentNew Ontario Liberal Party President Kathryn McGarry previously served as minister of natural resources and transportation minister under former premier Kathleen Wynne
Read more »