HSC institutional safety officers program nears launch

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This article was published 12/03/2024 (576 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Specialized security staff are set to begin training next week at Health Sciences Centre, as the province seeks to expand the program to other health-care facilities.

A two-week training session for the first complement of 12 institutional safety officers at the Winnipeg hospital is scheduled to start March 18. Once completed, graduates are expected to start work in April.

Staff safety concerns have been mounting at HSC — the largest hospital in Manitoba — amid increasing reports of violence and volatility involving patients who are under the influence of illicit substances or experiencing mental health issues.

HSC will be the first hospital to employ institutional safety officers, with the program expected to roll out at St. Boniface Hospital, Brandon Regional Health Centre, Selkirk Mental Health Centre and Victoria General Hospital, a Shared Health spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement Tuesday.

The new staff are being trained via a course developed by Assiniboine Community College to work in Manitoba Justice’s safety officer program.

The officers (who will have the authority to restrain people) are expected to “assist with a variety of tasks and interactions to promote an increased sense of safety and security in and around the HSC campus,” a Shared Health spokesperson stated.

“This new classification of security employee will enhance safety for patients, visitors and staff across health-care facilities, delivering a focused approach to patrol duties, perimeter security and major incident response with the tools to intervene, de-escalate and resolve issues.”

The safety officers will report to HSC management. A new Shared Health provincial lead for protective services will be co-ordinating security services at health-care facilities throughout Manitoba.

Shared Health hasn’t confirmed whether the safety officers will be armed with security devices, such as batons or pepper spray.

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“Decisions related to equipment to be used and/or carried by ISOs within health-care environments are being finalized and will be informed by feedback from front-line staff, best practices and experience from other similar settings,” a spokesperson stated.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced the start date of the institutional safety officer program during question period at the legislature March 7.

On Tuesday, the minister said they took “immediate steps” to implement the program after taking office last year. Asagwara said it is a priority and expects to receive regular progress reports.

“I’m taking a proactive approach to this because it’s a priority for our government,” Asagwara said.

The Manitoba Nurses Union has long called for institutional safety officers at HSC.

Arbitration recently concluded on a union grievance over the issue of safety in HSC parkades, surface lots and areas on the hospital campus. The MNU argued the employer has failed to uphold their obligations to keep staff safe. The arbitrator has yet to issue a decision.

MNU wasn’t involved in the development of safety officer training, but president Darlene Jackson said she’s been informed officers will be highly educated in verbal de-escalation techniques.

Jackson said she is taking a “wait-and-see approach” on how the new officers will be able to counter any potential violence.

The union said it was recently informed of a March 5 incident at HSC in which an individual wandered into a staff office area not controlled by swipe cards or keys, broke the blade off a paper cutter and wielded it on the main floor of the hospital.

Before being apprehended by police, the individual used the blade to break through glass on an office door, according to an incident report, MNU said.

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It’s one example of an increasing trend of violence hospital staff face, Jackson said.

“I’m not sure verbal judo is what we need,” the union leader said, adding she is “thankful we’re moving in this direction” to have the safety officers in place.

Legislation paving the way for institutional safety officers was passed in 2021, expanding the scope of specialized security guards. It allows peace officers to receive training to become safety officers, allowing them to carry batons, pepper spray and handcuffs.

Before forming government in 2023, the then-Opposition NDP criticized the Progressive Conservatives for failing to train and hire any institutional safety officers at hospitals or post-secondary school campuses.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Katie May
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Katie May is a multimedia producer for the Free Press.

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