Debates of February 1, 2006 (day 20)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Minister of Health and Social Services in relation to some suicide prevention and follow-up. I know that Stanton hospital is equipped with a psychiatric ward that deals with a lot of suicide cases in the NWT. I had an incident over the holidays, Mr. Speaker, about a person who tried to take their own life during the holidays and was quickly medevaced to the Stanton hospital, only to be returned to the community into the same volatile…that she just tried to get out of the very next morning; less than 24 hours flown back to the community and put into the same environment that they had just got out of. Can the Minister help me understand if this is the regular practice of the department, or are there any procedures in place that will require the person to stay either in the psychiatric ward or the hospital for at least a couple of days so they can look back and get some counselling and look at what the next steps can be? Can the Minister help me understand what the practice and the guidelines are for that today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 315-15(4): Suicide Prevention

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the practice is for the health professionals to be engaged as quickly as possible and to make their assessment on a case-by-case basis, then make their diagnosis and recommend a plan of action. I am not in a position to speak specifically to the issue or the case referenced by my colleague, but I could commit, if he wants to discuss it further, to more specifically to check on the particulars of that case. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 315-15(4): Suicide Prevention

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would surely be willing to sit down with the Minister just to go through the details. I know when this event was unravelling, we are talking 10:00 p.m. at night to 8:00 a.m. in the morning. I don’t know how the Department of Health and Social Services engages with the clients on a one-on-one basis or does a diagnosis in that time, especially if it’s in the middle of the night and there is only a limited number of staff on board. I was wondering if there is a 24-hour process that allows these professionals to make a good diagnosis and actually help these people recover? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 315-15(4): Suicide Prevention

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no specific time frame that I am aware of. The cases of the individuals/patients are assessed and determinations are made by the professionals dealing with that particular circumstance. So once again, I would have to find out more as to what transpired so that I could provide that information to the Member, so he could get a better understanding of all the circumstances that were at play and how it all came about and the sequence of events. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 315-15(4): Suicide Prevention

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just as a point of interest for the Minister, this isn’t the first time that it’s happened in my constituency. There have been other cases where there has been a quick turnaround and people are sent right back into the unstable environments that they try to get out of. None of them have received any follow-up, any counselling or any phone call from any doctor or psychiatrist that has done their diagnosis here in the city. So I just want to make a point that in smaller communities, they are getting lost in the bureaucratic system with suicide prevention and counselling. I just want to mention to the Minister that he should overlook and take a good review of the whole system and how it works in the small, remote centres. Thank you.