The Crown has dropped the charge against Southlake Regional Health Centre CEO, as well as three of the five charges laid by the Ministry of Labour against the Newmarket hospital.
"We believe that this is a result of our demonstrated commitment to safety and the concrete, measurable steps we have taken to address concerns that have been raised," an email sent to employees obtained by NewmarketToday stated. "The hospital has always been confident that the charges were without merit and is pleased that the Crown has decided not to pursue the majority of the charges."
The Ministry of Labour charged Southlake and president and CEO Arden Krystal with violations of the workplace safety act in October 2021.
The five charges against the hospital and one against Krystal had been laid under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) in connection with several incidents that took place in 2020.
The hospital said at the time it was disappointed by the charges and maintains it has always been committed to "going above and beyond" with regards to workplace safety.
The hospital stated in the email that it remains confident it has a strong defence against the two remaining charges due to safety policies and procedures, as well as the "outstanding" work of its physicians and staff to create the safest possible work environment.
The measures Southlake takes ensure staff and patient safety "go well beyond what most hospitals do," according to the email.
These measures include investments to increase security coverage across the hospital; the opening of an emergent mental health assessment unit; advanced violence prevention training for staff and special training for managers; a dedicated workplace violence prevention officer; and the launch of an ambassador program in the emergency department.
It also has plans to launch a behavioural support team and has taken steps to increase the reliability of its RFID-enabled staff safety pendants, the email added.
The pendant is a device worn by staff that triggers a "code white" — a violent patient incident. It was implemented by Southlake after a 2013 incident of workplace violence in its emergency department.
The court hearing has been adjourned six times since 2021.
The Newmarket hospital pleaded guilty in 2020 to two of the nine counts of violating the OHSA in 2020 stemming from a 2019 incident when a registered nurse and security guard were attacked in the emergency department and adult inpatient mental health unit. In a plea deal, the other seven charges were dropped.
The most recent charges were the first time the hospital's CEO was charged directly.
Region 3 vice-president of the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) DJ Sanderson previously told NewmarketToday that by pleading guilty "people were robbed of hearing the full story and hearing the process play out."
Because it serves one of the fastest growing and aging communities in Ontario, the email said, Southlake is continuously overcrowded, which makes it susceptible to an increase in "confrontations with patients in crisis."
"We will continue to advocate on your behalf for the additional funding we require from the Province of Ontario to support the work you do for our communities, as well as the approval required to move to the next phase of planning for a new hospital," employees were told.
"We want to thank you again for your collective efforts to deliver the high-quality care our patients and community deserve in a safe environment. Together we are continuing to make progress on safety and we remain committed to this important work."
The next hearing date has not been set.
