Man charged after hospital workers threatened, sexually assaulted: Winnipeg police

A man has been arrested after health-care workers were assaulted and threatened at Grace Hospital.

Winnipeg police say three health-care workers were assaulted and threatened, and two of them were allegedly sexually assaulted.

Between Thursday and Friday, a 59-year-old man was being treated at a hospital in the 300 block of Booth Drive, allegedly behaving aggressively and making sexually inappropriate comments to the staff.

In a phone call, a spokesperson for the Manitoba Nurses Union confirmed to CTV News that the location was Grace Hospital and at least one of the workers was a nurse.

Police said hospital security placed him in restraints because his aggressive behaviour escalated.

During his treatment, two health-care workers were allegedly sexually assaulted. One worker’s clothing was ripped because the man allegedly tried to bite her, and a third worker was verbally threatened, police said.

The incidents were reported to the police and after meeting with the employees, officers took the man into custody. Police said he was arrested around 2 a.m. on Friday.

He is now facing several charges, including two counts of sexual assault, assault and threatening to kill or cause harm.

The man was released on an undertaking and no charges have been tested in court.

‘This type of harm is unacceptable’: Asagwara

In a statement, Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said they are reaching out to the health-care workers.

“This type of harm is unacceptable and has no place anywhere,” Asagwara said. “No one should face violence while they are caring for others, and we recognize how upsetting incidents like this are for staff across the system.”

Asagwara said they are continuing to work closely with parties to strengthen safety measures in hospitals.

“That includes a $5.2 million investment to expand permanent security measures at hospitals. We’ve also written to the federal minister of justice to ask that more is done to hold accountable those who harm health-care workers.”

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They thanked the Winnipeg Police Service for the arrest and hoped “they are prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

‘Maybe the Grace should be next’: MNU

In a statement, MNU president Darlene Jackson said the incident is not an isolated occurrence but a systemic one, adding “maybe the Grace should be next” in reference to grey listings.

“Right now, the system is failing not just patients, but the people who it employs,” Jackson said on Sunday. “It’s no wonder fewer and fewer people are choosing to walk into that, shift after shift.

“When one patient is allowed to threaten and intimidate unchecked, the impact spreads. It poisons the work environment, compromises safety, and puts every nurse, every staff member and every patient at risk.”

The MNU represents around 13,000 nurses across Manitoba.

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As of Sunday, three hospitals in Manitoba have been grey listed – Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, Thompson General Hospital and St. Boniface Hospital.

Grey listing is not a strike or job action, but an advisory to its current and future members – advising not to seek employment at a specific facility, citing ongoing unsafe or inappropriate working condition.

Jackson called for a provincially mandated task force to establish and enforce procedures addressing violence in health care.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Doctors Manitoba said, in part, a lot more must be done to create safer spaces for doctors, workers, patients and visitors.

CTV News has reached out to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority for comment.

With files from CTV News’ Milan Lukes and Devon McKendrick