NDP appeals to province for action on nurse assaults

Critics want Queen’s Park to do more after Star report details rising number of cases

Ontario’s NDP health and labour critics are calling on the government to take action following a Star report detailing the rising number of nurses reporting assaults by patients.

In an open letter, labour critic Cindy Forster and health critic France Gélinas urged Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Labour Minister Kevin Flynn to improve the safety of patients and staff in Ontario’s healthcare system.

“It is deeply disturbing that nurses and health-care professionals are facing increasing levels of workplace violence in our province,” wrote Gélinas and Forster.

In an emailed statement to the Star, a spokesperson for the health minister wrote that Hoskins and Flynn are committed to ensuring Ontario’s nurses have safe workplaces, but acknowledged there is room for improvement.

“We recognize that there is more work to be done, which is why Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn met with the (Ontario Nurses’ Association) earlier this year to discuss these very issues, and meets regularly to keep an open dialogue so we can continue working together to protect healthcare workers,” read the health ministry statement.

On Thursday, the Star reported on the dramatic increases of reports of assaults on nurses at several Toronto-area hospitals over the past three years.

At the University Health Network, the number of reported violent incidents against staff by patients doubled in two years. Reported assaults included incidents of verbal abuse, as well as patients kicking, punching and throwing urine at staff, according to reports obtained by the Star through an access to information request.

UHN said the increase is likely due to a change in the method of reporting incidents and to a push from unions encouraging staff to increase reporting.

“Sadly, I’m not surprised (by the increase in assault reports),” said Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, who called on the government to hire more nurses.

“When you do not address staffing, the temperature only raises more and more.” ONA president Linda Haslam-Stroud told the Star Thursday that she is in discussions with Hoskins and Flynn about addressing workplace violence for nurses but is waiting for confirmation of how they plan to tackle the issue. She added that talking is not enough.

The ONA wants to see increased hospital staffing levels, better trained security guards and more accountability from CEOs.