Surgical scissors identified as weapon in assault on correctional officer

A patient in one of Manitoba's most secure psychiatric wards was able to obtain a pair of surgical scissors and stab a correctionalofficer last Friday, CBCNews has learned.

Earlier this week a spokesperson for the Winnipeg Police Service described the instrument used to attack the correctionalofficer as an "edged weapon."

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The scissors have been described to CBC News as the kind used for surgical operating procedures.

A police officer who went to thePX3unit at Health Sciences Centre to investigate the assault was subsequently bitten by a second patient.

The head of the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union says the response by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority earlier this week to the two attacks does not go far enough and is calling for an inquiry into the incidents.

Michelle Gawronsky says the question of how a mentally ill patient in a secure facility was able to get ahold of a pair of surgical scissors must be answered.

"We would expect that any kind of medical equipment would be under lock and key; would be put in secure, safe places. We are more than requesting, we are demanding the WRHA, Health Sciences Centre and Justice do an inquiry, do a full-blown investigation into what happened here," Gawaronsky says.

Gawronsky's call for a deeper investigation echoes similar calls earlier this week from the president of the Manitoba Nurses' Union, Sandi Mowat.

Gawronskysays the outcome last Friday could have been much worse.

"When I think about what could have happened, and I'm sure when all of them [involved in the incident]went home at the end of the event and started to think about what could have happened, I can't imagine how they feel," Gawronsky said.

The WRHA issued a statement earlier this week declining comment on the specifics of both attacks on the corrections and police officers, citing confidentiality reasons under the Personal Health Information Act.

The statement did say any incident would be "logged into our reporting system" and "the department in question would review the incident for any practices or learning opportunities from the incident to determine what actions could be taken, if any, to reduce the risk of future such events."

In response, Gawronsky said"it doesn't look like they are taking it as serious as I would hope they would take it," but is hopeful the MGEU can work with the WRHA to improve the situation.

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Gawronsky says her concerns are not only for the correctional officers and police involved in the incident but for security staff at all health facilities that are dealing with growing numbers of patients both in mental health crisis and coping with reactions to drugs such as methamphetamine.

"I'm hearing it from the housekeeping staff in the hospitals across the province, our ambulance staff ... our corrections officers, our sheriff officers. There is real concern about the drug use and meth in particular," Gawronsky says.

WRHA responds

The health authority acknowledged there havebeen 14 assaults at PX3 since January 2016 that resulted in harm to four patients, eight staff and two visitors.

In an email, a spokesperson wrote the WRHA could not initiate Workplace Safety and Health investigations on behalf ofnon-staff members (both the corrections and police officers involved do not work for the WRHA), but has begun its own review.

"The WRHA has followed up to file an occurrence report and is working with WRHA's Occupational Health and Safety office to review safety practices on the unit," wrote the spokesperson.

The email also outlined security procedures atthe PX3 forensic unit, which include searches of all patients upon admission and locked storage of all electronics and sharp objects. Visitors are required to check into the nursing desk on the unit and leave any electronics or items identified as potentially dangerous.

The spokesperson wrote "if patients are suspected of hiding weapons or contraband items a search would be conducted. Broader searches of individuals and belongings are also done across the unit as required."