By Charlene Tebbutt

Healthcare and security

Report calls for standardized security at hospitals and medical facilities

Feb 6, 2019 | 6:53 PM

A report into security at hospitals and medical facilities in Saskatchewan is calling for standardized safety measures across the province.

A consultant review of current hospital security measures made 27 recommendations to improve safety at medical facilities and hospitals in Saskatchewan. The review began last April and was released this week by BigLeap Consultation and Advisory Services, which is recommending standardized security programming, including areas such as technology, equipment, reporting and training.

Violence within medical facilities has previously been identified as an issue in Saskatchewan, particularly in Prince Albert.

Neil Colmin, Vice President of SEIU-West said the union is concerned about possible job cuts if safety and security positions are cut. The union represents workers in various jobs across the region.

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“They discuss staffing options in the future,” Colmin said. “Any time that this government has mentioned staffing options, it has generally led to, or has always led to privatization.”

SEIU-West is still reviewing the recommendations, but has a meeting planned in March with government to discuss the report further. Colmin said a recent survey of members identified keeping security in-house is the best way to protect not only patients and staff, but the public as well.

“We feel that the trained security officers that we have presently in our facilities are professionals,” he added. “They are trained, they know the facilities, they know the people, they know what needs to be done.”

Karen Wasylenko, president of the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan said the report doesn’t touch on issues health care workers face in other locations in the community, such as private homes. The union represents 4,000 workers across the province.

“There’s certainly concerns within the facilities, but a lot of the complaints are around parking, and how far away from the facility people are having to park just to get to work,” Wasylenko said. “I think they should be looking at all aspects of security, whether it’s inside the facility, outside the facility and around.”

The external review included focus group sessions across the province, with consultants meeting with Métis and Indigenous groups, patient and family advisors, internal and external stakeholders and discussions with medical staff and doctors.

“The report findings challenge leaders and staff to think differently about the future of security services as it relates to the SHA,” said Tony Weeks, who authored the report. “This is an opportunity to build something new, using fresh ideas and leading practices to go beyond traditional security models.”

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Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt