New Brunswick health network apologizes for use of restraints at psychiatric facility

FREDERICTON – New Brunswick’s francophone health network is expressing remorse for the way its staff used restraints and seclusion rooms at an adult psychiatric facility in the province’s north.

Sébastien Lagacé, associate vice-president of mental health and addiction at Vitalité Health Network, made the comments in the wake of a scathing report by the provincial ombudswoman, Marie-France Pelletier. The report described troubling details about how some patients were treated at the Restigouche Health Centre in northern New Brunswick.

In some cases, the report said patients were restrained for hours, at times in their own urine and feces. The report also included accounts of desperate patients kept in seclusion rooms unable to contact health staff.

“We do apologize for the situation that has happened at Restigouche Health Centre,” Lagacé said in an interview Wednesday.

“These situations are not acceptable and not anchored in our philosophy of care, which is recovery oriented.”

Both the province’s health networks — Horizon and Vitalité — have used restraints. 

Pelletier found staff made decisions to use restraints at Restigouche hospital without adequate medical consultation or authorization, a practice that went against Vitalité’s policy.

“When a patient requires a planned intervention for restraint use, the policy indicates that the application of restraints be prescribed by a medical order,” the report said. 

Lagacé added that he believed some of the problems identified in Pelletier’s report were not isolated to Restigouche hospital. He suggested there were numerous complaints at the hospital due to a large number of posters in the institution that urge people to call the ombudswoman to report concerns.

“It’s a systematic issue, and we need all departments to come together to address the situation.”

At the committee hearing Tuesday, Progressive Conservative member of legislative assembly Kris Austin said reading the report was like a “punch to the gut.” 

Green Party Leader David Coon blamed a lack of leadership and political will for the problems detailed in the ombudswoman’s report.

“Why? Because when the political parties go shopping for votes, the mentally ill are not a target audience for them.”

Pelletier made 21 recommendations, and promised to release annual reports on the progress made.

The health network accepted all of Pelletier’s recommendations, Lagacé said.

“We have mechanisms in place to monitor usage of restraints and seclusion, and like the ombudswoman said in her report yesterday, she is going to monitor the application of the recommendation,” he said. 

“So we are confident that with her continued engagement and collaboration with the ombudswoman office that the situation will not happen again.” 

Margaret Melanson, president of Horizon Health Network also said the authority accepted Pelletier’s recommendations.

“We will be undertaking a comprehensive review of the recommendations to develop a detailed action plan that will guide necessary improvements to our programs and processes,” she said in a statement. 

“We value every opportunity to learn and are committed to continuously enhancing patient safety, care, and experience.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2025.