Sask. Health Authority stops transfers of hospital patients to Warman care home after inspection

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has suspended Diamond House a personal care home in Warman, just outside Saskatoon from taking hospital patients in the wake of health and safety violations found during an inspection.

An inspection was triggered at the facility after allegations of an attack on a resident.

The inspection found eight violations, includingfailure to report serious incidents to the ministry and delays in conducting admission assessments, according to the Ministry of Health.

In a statement to the CBC, the ministry said details about the infractions and complaints cannot be made public.

SHA told CBC News it has signed a five-year agreement with three private personal care homes for convalescent care spaces, also known as temporary or transitional care spaces. Diamond House is one of the homes. The SHA would not identify the others.

Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health regulates private personal care homes in the province. Health MinisterEverett Hindley said he's aware of the alleged violent incident and the inspection.

"I think that there's always room for improvement,and when there are instances that are flagged as incidents that need to be investigated or corrective actions that need to be taken, those are taken seriously and are followed up on as per the regulations," Hindley said at a news conference Tuesday.

CBC reached out to the family of the man who says he was attacked at the care home, but they declined to comment.The care home and several other residents did not respond to requests for comment.

WATCH|Family concerned about Sask. program moving patients from hospitals to private care homes:

Family concerned about Sask. program moving patients from hospitals to private care homes

6 months ago

Duration 3:12

Families are concerned about the lack of communication regarding a new program under which residents are being moved from hospitals to private care homes.

This wasn't the first time an inspection found infractions at Diamond House.

Previous documented infractions includedpoisons and toxic substances not stored safely, serious incidents not being reported to the ministry, lapses in basic first aid, food service and sanitation, a failure to checkcriminal records and using physical restraints when not necessary.

Hindley said the care home has been given the opportunity to correct the current violations within a reasonable time. He did not say how quickly he expects these issues to be addressed.

He said if the infractions are not rectified, there could be consequences around the licensing of the home.

SHA COODerek Miller was also at the news conference on Tuesday. He said the Ministry of Health has given Diamond House directions on what the care home needs to do tocontinue functioning regularly.

In the meantime, 14 patients who were sent to Diamond House will be displaced.

"We are working to find their permanent location, either back at home ideally, or in another appropriate care setting," Miller said.