Prince Albert's Victoria Hospital. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Health Care

FSIN renews call for First Nations hospital, amidst complaints over elder treatment at Prince Albert hospital

Jan 15, 2021 | 5:24 PM

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Executive has issued a press release, claiming they have received a number of calls regarding the “poor and unprofessional treatment” of two elderly First Nations patients at the Prince Albert Victoria Hospital over the last number of days.

The statement goes on to explain how in one case an 88-year-old man was receiving treatment in isolation and doesn’t even speak English.

“Where are his supports?” FSIN Vice Chief David Pratt said. “We had another elderly woman’s family call to tell us that she was being mistreated by rude and unprofessional nurses. She doesn’t want to be named because she’s scared that they’ll treat her worse in retaliation.”

Pratt explained these elderly patients need the help of translators and patient support services to understand what is happening to them and to be informed of the type of care they are receiving. In turn, FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron is calling on the province to step in and help the families and do something about the complaints that come in regarding First Nations patients at the hospital.

“This is why it is so important that we have our own First Nations doctors and nurses working within all hospitals throughout the province. Our Chiefs have been calling for a First Nations hospital in this region for years and this is the exact reason why,” he said. “Our elderly patients are too scared to speak out against poor treatment or can’t speak out at all because no one speaks the same language as them.”

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One of the complainants

According to a public Facebook post on Jan. 11, a woman explained how her 88-year-old father was diagnosed with COVID-19 and hospitalized at the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert.

“He only speaks and understands Dene, he was restricted from having any visitors or translators to assist him during his stay, until today after I insisted that someone needs to be there with him so that he understands the care that is been administered for him,” the woman explained.

The woman then added how her son was allowed to go visit in the evening, and later mentioned how his grandfather appeared withdrawn and had sustained a head injury. The woman said the family had not been informed of the injury prior.

“A hospital is supposed to be a place of healing, except when you are a First Nations patient who cannot speak English. He was restrained to his bed, when my son got there, he had to insist that they change his bedding, he had soiled himself since he was restrained to his bed (wrist tied to his bed),” she wrote.

paNOW has made several attempts this week to contact the complainant for a further update, but there has been no response.

Response from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA)

Responding to the FSIN’s media release, Andrew McLetchie, SHA’s vice-president for Integrated Northern Health, issued a statement as well and explained the Saskatchewan Health Authority is committed to providing the best possible care experience.

“We are aware of some of these concerns, and for those raised directly to us, we have reached out to ensure the patient has the supports they require. We encourage anyone who has concerns over their care experience to contact our quality of care coordinators so we can confidentially address these,” he said.

The statement from McLetchie went on to explain the SHA has supports for patients who do not speak English, including staff, as well as partner organizations.

“While there is limited family presence due to public health measures during the pandemic, we can and do arrange for family members to be present to support the communication between the patient and the health care team. If there are any barriers to accessing these services, we encourage patients and families to access the SHA First Nations and Metis Health Services for assistance,” McLetchie said.

The statement also touched on how the SHA plans to engage local First Nations and Métis communities in the upcoming P.A. Victoria Hospital re-development project. McLetchie stressed the SHA is committed to working with First Nation and Metis organizations, communities, Elders and patient and family advisors to make sure that culturally appropriate and responsive programs, services and spaces are included with the project.

“Together, we can then ensure that when the project is complete, Victoria Hospital will be positioned to provide expanded high quality health services to patients and families from across central and northern Saskatchewan, meet the needs of our growing population, and provide safe, culturally responsive care.”

The statement concluded by discussing other initiatives the SHA has undertaken to create a culturally responsive system across the province, including the requirement all new employees undertake cultural responsiveness training, setting goals to achieve a representative workforce, developing a formal Unity and Belonging strategy, and furthering their commitment to implement the TRC Calls to Action.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell