Leo Glavine to speak to Valley Regional Hospital about mental health care

Health Minister Leo Glavine says he'll speak with officials at the Valley Regional Hospital concerning the case of a mentally ill man who left hospital in March in an agitated state, and walked five kilometres in snow and slush before being picked up by police.

The case is the second report of a mental health patient leaving the hospital without a notice to family members. Last week, another man walked 15 kilometres without shoes before he was found in a stranger's backyard. 

Glavine said two incidents in a short time raises questions.

"Are all the processes and protocols that should be in place, are they being followed? That's the question I will be asking today," he told reporters on Thursday.

CBC News spoke with the mother of the young man who left the hospital in March wearing sneakers, pyjamas and a coat. She said he was hallucinating and making threats when he was taken to the hospital's emergency department.

Four hours later, he was sent home. She said no one from the hospital contacted her to notify that he was leaving. 

Shortly after, he was picked up by police outside a New Minas gas station, where he was demanding customers buy him cigarettes. Later that day, he was returned to the same hospital where he was admitted. 

Glavine calls the cases "deeply concerning."

Strengthening support 

Glavine also said he is looking into strengthening mental health support for young people, citing gaps in the mental health system. Glavine said he is interested in seeing how other jurisdictions are serving that demographic.

In Halifax, the IWK Health Centre has said it is reviewing the case of a 14-year-old girl who came to the hospital for care. The girl's mother says she was turned away only to be admitted hours later by police.

Glavine says he plans to consult Dr. Stan Kutcher, an expert in adolescent mental health at the IWK Health Centre, to learn if changes to the triage system are needed.

In a statement, the Nova Scotia Health Authority declined to respond publicly to the mother's concerns, citing patient confidentiality.