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Desmond inquiry: ex-manager of veterans clinic said facility lacked resources

Click to play video: 'Inquiry learns about the mental decline of Lionel Desmond'
Inquiry learns about the mental decline of Lionel Desmond
Testimony at the Lionel Desmond inquiry in February outlined how PTSD and mental health issues had an impact on his relationship with his wife Shanna. Shanna’s parents and brother revealed that Desmond was delusional and believed his wife was cheating on him. The jealousy issues and his erratic behaviour pushed her to seek a divorce. Jesse Thomas has more – Feb 19, 2021

The former manager of a clinic for veterans in Nova Scotia told an inquiry today the facility had a shortage of psychiatric services when former soldier Lionel Desmond was referred there.

Derek Leduc is testifying at the inquiry that is investigating events that led the Afghanistan war veteran to kill himself and his family in 2017.

Leduc says Desmond’s case was put “on hold” while the occupational stress injury clinic determined if he had a family doctor.

At the time, the clinic only had one psychiatrist who was working part-time.

A former nurse of the clinic, Natasha Tofflemire, previously told the inquiry that the clinic put the case on hold on Oct. 6, 2016, while it waited to hear back from Veterans Affairs.

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Tofflemire said the federal agency did not call back about Desmond’s file and said she had left her job about a week after his case was put on hold.

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