Security at the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) has once again come under scrutiny, even as officials say they are trying to make things safer for patients and staff after a nurse was attacked in the psychiatric ER last September.
READ MORE: Attack of nurse at Montreal General Hospital highlights security issues
This week, the hospital told Global News there are plans to upgrade all 173 security cameras “to current standards” by the fall off 2018.
There are no live camera feeds from the psychiatric ER to the main security desk on Cedar Avenue, so agents at the main desk can’t visually monitor activity in the unit.
Amy Ma, co-chair of the MUHC Patients’ Committee, said she was surprised when she heard about this.
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“It’s a bit disturbing that the cameras are not hooked up,” she said.
“So, that’s a bit of a concern.”
She also takes issue with a recent memo sent to staff where the hospital listed safety tips encouraging them, among other things, to “report shady behaviour.”
WATCH BELOW: Security issues after nurse attacked at Montreal General Hospital in September
Ma said she thinks the language is unfortunate and that “shady” is too open to interpretation.
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“That might embolden somebody, an employee, to act out on their prejudices against the homeless, against people with mental illness, against people with whatever medical condition not acting in a way one would expect them to if you have to stop them from doing something,” she told Global News.
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Ma pointed out that, since a hospital serves a very diverse population, it has to be prepared for anything.
She said she hopes security personnel are trained in deescalation.
“If they’re not, they could be putting staff and patients in even more danger,” she stressed.
The hospital said it has taken steps to address the security issue.
WATCH BELOW: Nurse attacked at Montreal General Hospital
It explained there is ongoing training on how to deal with violent situations (Code White) and explained, so far, 139 people have been trained.
Since the incident, a security agent has been posted in the psychiatric ER — there was no one permanently stationed there the night of the attack.
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In response to concerns about not having a direct live camera feed from the psychiatric ER to the main security desk, the hospital said in an email to Global News, “we are evaluating the possibility of having all MGH cameras fed to the MGH main security desk on the sixth floor.”
The hospital said it will reissue its notice to staff.
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