Investigation Report: Ombudsman Act – Manitoba Justice (Corrections) and Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living (Health Sciences Centre)
investigations & monitoring
health facility, body or trustee
Summary
Seven in-custody patients from unit PX3, a 15-bed adult forensic mental health unit located at Health Sciences Centre (HSC), alleged that they were confined to their locked ward 24 hours per day without any outside fresh-air time, which violates basic human rights and impedes recovery from illness. Shortly after we began our investigation, access to the forensic courtyard for non-acute security risk patients on PX3 was reinstated. While we concluded that the decision to suspend access to the courtyard pending a review of security concerns was consistent with applicable laws and policies, the amount of time taken to resolve this matter and resume courtyard access was unreasonable. We recommended that Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living and Manitoba Justice collaborate to develop a protocol that will assist in the timely identification and resolution of security issues on PX3 in order to help prevent similar delays in the future. The departments accepted the recommendation.
Case 2017-0224