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WRHA official admits Sinclair spoke with triage aide

By: Jen Skerritt

Posted: 02/5/2009 2:44 PM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

One of Winnipeg's top health officials admits hospital security videos show Brian Sinclair wheeling himself into the triage desk line and speaking to a triage aide - just one day after he refuted video evidence showed Sinclair approached the triage desk.

Dr. Brock Wright, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority chief medical officer and senior vice-president of clinical services, came under fire Wednesday for refuting video evidence made public by Manitoba’s chief medical examiner Dr. Thambirajah Balachandra.

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Balachandra officially called an inquest into Sinclair’s death and released a statement saying that a review of Health Sciences Centre’s security tapes found an unidentified man wheeled Sinclair into the ER and up to the triage desk around 3 p.m. Sept. 19, 2008.

Wright maintained Sinclair never formally presented himself to the triage desk and said he hasn’t watched the security tapes.

The WRHA released a statement this afternoon saying in light of Balachandra’s comments, Wright watched the security tapes for the first time today. Wright now says the video shows that Sinclair wheeled himself into the line at the triage desk where the triage nurse on duty was seeing one person ahead of him.

Wright then admitted "a triage aide then approached Mr. Sinclair, spoke with him and wrote something down on his clipboard. Mr. Sinclair is then seen wheeling himself into the waiting area. This is consistent with the findings of the internal administrative review."
Wright’s comments refute what health officials have said publicly in recent months.

Tory health critics allege health officials misled the public and let people believe Sinclair didn’t approach anyone for care while he was waiting to see a doctor.

Sinclair, a 45-year-old double-amputee, was found dead on Sept. 21, 2008 in the inner-city hospital’s ER after waiting there for 34 hours.

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