Saskatchewan’s First Nations Health Ombudsperson is sharing some recommendations over security concerns and its effect on First Nations patients at the province’s health facilities.
The recommendations come as an independent review of protective services within the Saskatchewan Health Authority continues across the province. The review was launched earlier this year after a series of serious incidents and broader concerns involving security services in Saskatchewan health facilities. According to the For Immediate Release: FNHOO meets with Former Police Chief Clive Weighill , the Ministry of Health contracted Buckingham Security Services Ltd., which then appointed former Saskatoon police chief and former Saskatchewan chief coroner Clive Weighill to lead the review.
The review is examining security practices at 26 sites across Saskatchewan and is focused on system-wide policies, procedures and training rather than individual incidents. In previous public comments, Clive Weighill said the review would look at protective services officers, their training and overall safety for patients, visitors and health-care workers.
During an Aug. 13 meeting with Weighill, the First Nations Health Ombudsperson Office presented three key recommendations for inclusion in the final report.
First recommendation
The first recommendation calls for increased First Nations representation in health-care decision-making, including on boards, in policy development, partnerships and service delivery. The office is also urging broader consultation with First Nations patients, Friendship Centres, community organizations and vulnerable populations.
Second recommendation
A second recommendation focuses on strengthening accountability, oversight and performance monitoring of protective services and the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Proposed measures include independent review mechanisms for security-related complaints, additional patient supports and enhanced training in cultural safety, anti-racism, de-escalation and trauma-informed care.
Third recommendation
The third recommendation calls for an examination of the health-care system’s role in anti-Indigenous racism and violence, increased investments in mental health and addictions services, and a review of policies governing secure clinical spaces and protective service interventions. The office says those measures should align with human-rights frameworks, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Need for oversight
“When protective services operate without clear oversight, they cease to protect patients and instead become instruments of systemic harm,” said Dianne Lafond, First Nations Health Ombudsperson. She added that stronger accountability measures represent an opportunity to improve safety and trust within Saskatchewan’s health system.
The Ombudsperson’s office says First Nations people affected by protective services in hospitals, clinics, care homes, mental health facilities and other public systems need a stronger voice in the review process. It emphasizes patient experiences and community perspectives are essential to addressing systemic racism, improving security practices and ensuring equitable care.
