RNC responding to growing number of calls at St. John's hospitals
Officers responded to over 1,400 calls at three of the province's largest hospitals
Police are responding to more and more calls at the three major hospitals in St. John's.
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Const. James Cadigan says in 2024, they received just under 600 calls each from both the Health Sciences Centre and St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, and just under 300 calls to the Waterford Hospital.
Combined, that's over 1,400 calls in one year — an average of more than three per day, every day.
Those numbers are up significantly from 2022, when they sat below 900 calls total from all three hospitals.
Cadigan points to an overall increase in calls in general as one factor.
"These hospital settings, they are essentially samples of the community," Cadigan said.
"So to see that there's an increase in calls for service at a specific location where we have a sample of our community, it's essentially to be expected when we see across the board that there is growth."
Much like in the larger community, the calls are for a variety of reasons, from property damage and theft, to assault.
But Cadigan says it's the number of calls related to mental health incidents that stand out.
"It, in most cases, is a request for support related to, whether it be a mental health crisis or public safety connected to the operations of the location," he said.
Staff, patients should call police
Todd Barron believes the rise in calls for police assistance at the three hospitals is due, in part, to an overall increase in crime in the city.
Barron is the provincial violence prevention co-ordinator with Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services, helping develop and implement programs that address workplace violence within the health authority.
But, he says the other reason calls to the RNC have increased is straightforward: the health authority is encouraging hospital staff, patients and other visitors to call police when necessary.
"If you work at a convenience store, you work at a recreation facility, or you work in a hospital, you have the same rights," he said.
"You don't have to tolerate abuse and violence, so if that happens to you, you should contact the police."
Barron says there's still a lot of work to do to change the prevailing culture of health-care workers accepting violence as a necessary part of the job.
NLHS conducted a survey in early 2024 asking staff about their workplace experience.
Around 58 per cent said they had been the victim of physical violence in the previous twelve months. Less than half of them, though — 48 per cent — reported the incident.
"So we know that it happens, but we also know that it's vastly underreported," Barron said.
Additionally, about 15 per cent of staff respondents said they had missed work due to an incidence of physical violence.
Making ERs less stressful
The health authority is also taking steps to make emergency room visits less stressful for the public.
"Anyone who comes to an emergency department, they're already under duress or stress, either for themselves or for a loved one. They're not there at a good time," Barron said.
NLHS recently began piloting an "Ambassador Program" at St. Clare's and the Health Sciences Centre.
Ambassadors are hired by Paladin Security, the same company contracted to provide 24/7 security services at all three hospitals.
Barron says these staff are given additional training to deal with the extra stress people could be feeling when waiting in an emergency room. That could vary from helping with mental health issues, to helping people find their way through the hospital, to something as simple as getting them a blanket if they're cold.
And although the program is still in its early stages, Barron says they're already seeing positive results.
"We're seeing a decrease in the incidents of violence and aggression that occur, because some of the stress is being relieved by the care and support they're given in the waiting room," he said.
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