Family speaks out after ill father injured at Western Hospital

The family of a man who was injured at Western Hospital in Albertonon Dec. 30 is speaking out.

In a statement released last week by Health PEI, the administrator of Community Hospitals West said Western Hospital was "actively reviewing" an incident where a patient left the hospital "without first consulting their health care team or being formally discharged."The statement said the patient was returned safely.

The adult children of the 68-year-old man reached out to CBC to provide more details.

They say their father was hospitalized with liver disease on Dec. 26 and, soon after being admitted, started to suffer from paranoia.

• Incident under review at Western Hospital

In a statement emailed to CBC, the children said their father was being treated for the paranoia and, after leaving the floor on several occasions, was thenfitted with a wandering bracelet on his walker which would sound an alarm if he tried to leave the second floor.

The family said on the night of Dec. 30 their father went to a conference room on that floor and locked himself in.

They said he had acquired an extension cord and tied it to a chair in the room near a window. They said he opened a window in the room, smashed out the screen and attempted to lower himself down with the cord.

The family said their fatherfell onto the ground.

Family requesting investigation

In the statement they said he was able to gather himself up after the fall, and walk to a nearby house. Police and paramedics were called and the man was returned to the hospital.

RCMP confirm they, along with paramedics, attended a call for someone who had left the hospital and gone to a nearby residence that night.

The family spokesperson told CBC that the familydidn't witness the events unfolding themselves but were informed later by their father and by several different people including a hospital staff member.

The children of the man saidtheir father suffered a fractured vertebrae and had injuries to a leg and ankle. He is now in hospital in Charlottetown.

The family members said they have been in touch with the administrator of Western Hospital and have requested an investigation as well as a meeting with the health minister.

In a further statement Monday Health PEI said it wouldn't comment on the specifics while the review is underway. The agency did say it will be meeting with the patient's family "to discuss the review findings and recommendations."

Health PEI added that once the review is complete, "we will take all recommendations into consideration to prevent this type of unfortunate event from happening in the future."

CBC has decided not to name the man as we have not been able to speak directly with him while he is in hospital.

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