Opposition calls for government-led investigation into long-term care privacy breaches in Baie Verte

Newfoundland and Labrador'sOpposition partyis demanding a government-led investigation intoprivacy breaches at the Baie Verte Peninsula Health Centre.

Seven residents at the long-term care home have had their privacy breached in some way, according to Central Health, with two families telling CBC News staff took inappropriate photos of their loved ones. The regional health authority and the RCMPare both investigating the incidents.

During question period at the House of Assembly on Tuesday, Opposition House leader Barry Petten asked Health Minister Tom Osborne to direct an investigation into the incidents under the Adult Protection Act.

"The onus is on government, the minister. He's the minister of health,"Pettentold reporters after question period. "He owes an answer to the public."

Osborne said the Health Departmentwill wait for results from the RCMP and Central Health investigations before launching its own.

"That will clearly detail for us the scope, those involved and outline what actions need to be taken," he said.

Petten also asked Osborne to request a review of long-term care culture in Newfoundland and Labrador by the provincial seniors' advocate. Osborne suggested Petten write the seniors' advocate himself.

"We have no problem writing, but the minister could pick up the phone and ask for that to be done within minutes," Petten said.

'The public deserves to know'

Central Health did not speak publicly about the privacy breaches until Tuesday, when Joanne Pelley, the health authority's vice-president of integrated health and chief nursing executive, admitted seven residents wereinvolved. However, she would not say how many staff were involved or disciplined, and revealed little about the nature of the incidents.

"What I can tell you is that the matter has been handled and any risk to patients has been mitigated," said Pelley.

Petten said Central Health has an obligation to the families of the residents to share information.

"What assurances are their families getting? Because we're being told they're not being given any information. That's a huge problem," he said.

Osborne said hasdirected the health authorityto speak publicly in other instances, such as the ongoing review of mammography results.

"The public deserve to know when situations like this happen," he said.

He said the incidents should serve as a lesson for the Department of Health, the province's health authorities and others involved in the health-care system.

"This incident is not only shocking but it's unacceptable.It's unacceptable in any health-care institution, it's unacceptable in any regard," he said.

Privacy breaches 'traumatic':NDP

Osborne said he directed health authorities to remind employees to be respectful and show compassion to patients.

NDP MHA Lela Evans asked whether the incidents, which she called "traumatic," are a reflection of a strained workforce.

"How could we get to a place where in a health-care facility somebody is made fun of? That elderly people have to hear the nurses laughing?" she asked.

Evans agreed that workplace culture in long-term care homes should be addressed.

"We're looking after people. We need to treat them with respect. Because eventually, we're probably all going to end up there," she said.

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