'How is this acceptable?' MLA blasts Yukon gov't for moving patients between hospitals

Opposition MLA Kate White took the Yukon government to task on Thursday, accusing it ofmoving Whitehorse patients to rural hospitalswithout consent.

The health department said this week that it's been regularly moving patients from Whitehorse General Hospital which is often lacking beds to hospitals in Watson Lake or Dawson City, both hours away.

• Whitehorse hospital patients regularly being moved to other Yukon communities

White says some patients are being moved against their will.

"The fact that, in 2017, we're forcing patients to be transferred without their consent, hours away from family, is a true shame," the NDPMLA said.

White told of a patient at the Whitehorse hospital who witnesseda fellowpatient, with whomshe was sharing a room, being takenout on a stretcherto go to another hospital.

The patient was saying they didn't want to go, White said.

"The senior who witnessed this was understandably upset, and now they are constantly worried thatthe same thing could happen to them at any point," White said.

"What happened to the rights of patients, and how is this acceptable?"

'Not an administrative decision'

Health Minister Pauline Frost responded bysaying that when patients are moved to another facilityit's to ensure they get the best possible care.

"It's not an administrative decision that's made," Frostsaid.

"We want to make sure we provide proper care, essential care, and we want to do it in a respectful way."

That didn't satisfy White, who referred to the Yukon Hospital Corporation's website, which includes a list of patient's rights including the right "to be treated with respect, consideration, dignity and compassion" and the right to "accept or refuse any treatment or medication."

"How does it make any sense that patients can refuse treatment or medication, but are not allowed to refuse beingtransferred hours away from their families?" White asked.

"Where is the respect and where is the dignity?"

Frost said she would look into the issue, to ensure decisions are being made properly.

"If we are moving patients, I will commit that we are ensuring that family members are part of that process," Frostsaid.