Calls for police in hospitals to combat violent assaults on healthcare workers

The growing number of violent assaults in B.C. hospitals has the Opposition calling for the creation of a dedicated police force for health-care settings.

After a string of high-profile attacks in hospitals, including a patient strangling a nurse unconscious at Vancouver General Hospital, the opposition B.C. Conservatives are calling for police in some healthcare institutions.

“Times have changed, and I think we have seen more than enough evidence of dangerous situations in hospitals, particularly involving weapons,” said Elenore Sturko, public safety critic, on Thursday.

Health Minister Josie Osborne points to the security guards with extra training, named Relationship Security Officers, who have been stationed in hospitals over the past three years.

“This is working in sites where RSOs are placed,” she said.

“We’ve got 781 of these across B.C. and we’re seeing that the rates of violence are coming down, and that the WorkSafeBC claims are coming down as well.”

Osborne said the Health Ministry credits the RSOs with an “eight percent drop in violent incidents, and a 13 percent decline in WorkSafeBC time loss claims.”

Sturko mentioned comments from Safety Minister Gary Begg made on Monday, regarding the RSO’s training.

“There is not an expectation that they will intervene in situations that could be dangerous to them,” said Begg, in response to Sturko’s questioning during budget estimates.

“As a matter, they are told when there are potential situations of danger to retreat and call the police of jurisdiction,” he added.

The Health Ministry issued a statement Thursday advising the RSOs do, in fact, have heightened training that includes dealing with violence prevention, restraint education, active shooters and managing aggressive behaviour.

Sturko says the planned response isn’t good enough and hospitals need the equivalent of transit police, noting how the new guards don’t carry guns and how there has been a series of assault with weapons on nurses.

“That is a lot different than actually using skills required to actually engage and stop a threat,” said Sturko.

Adriane Gear, the head of the B.C. Nurses Union, says the security guards don’t offer enough protection on their own and deploying more police is an idea that should be should be contemplated.

“This is about making sure healthcare spaces are safe for everyone,” she said.

“For the staff that are providing the care, and the folks that are receiving the care.”

Despite the calls, Osborne told reporters that police in hospitals are not being considered.