Disturbing revelations about several deaths in the emergency room of the Lakeshore General Hospital in Pointe-Claire have forced Health Minister Christian Dubé to launch an investigation.
The testimonies of Gazette staff members, reported by journalist Aaron Derfel, point to "preventable deaths" and attempts to hide the truth surrounding these incidents. Six cases recorded since 2019 are mentioned in the reports published by The Gazette.
In response, Minister Dubé called for an independent investigation "on the spot," reads the statement obtained by The Canadian Press.
"The facts reported are very disturbing and we wish to first offer our condolences to the families affected. Let's be clear: we are not compromising on the health and safety of patients," it says.
The Minister's office also points out that a report has already been prepared by a mediator and tabled last November. This document makes a series of recommendations that are currently being implemented at the hospital. The mediator, Marie Boucher, described the place as a "time bomb" because of the precarious conditions.
"Several measures have been put in place or are being implemented at Lakeshore, such as placing people at risk of suicide or in protective custody on stretchers visible from the nurses' station. The recommendations of the independent inquiry will be no exception. We will follow this file very closely," said Minister Dubé's office.
Among the disturbing facts revealed by The Gazette is the case of a former police officer who took his own life on a stretcher in the emergency room in exactly the same way as he had done a few hours earlier when he was interrupted by a member of the nursing staff.
According to information obtained by the newspaper, the Minister's office was informed of at least three of the deaths at the time they occurred.
SOURCE: The Canadian Press
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