English
Saskatchewan’s health minister has confirmed that an independent review into hospital safety across the province is complete, but the government will not release the findings publicly until authorities have addressed the report’s recommendations.
Minister Defends Decision to Withhold Report
Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill explained his position at a press conference in North Battleford on Thursday. He said releasing the report too soon could expose vulnerabilities affecting both staff and patients at health care facilities. “I don’t want to put a report out there that may share vulnerabilities that are there for staff and patients in health care facilities,” Cockrill said.
Stay connected to every major update — subscribe and follow us on the PhoenixQ website and across our social media platforms.
Cockrill added that he met with the contracted firm earlier this week for the first time since the report was finalized. He praised the team’s work, saying it did a “really fantastic job” evaluating the current safety status of facilities and identifying future opportunities for improvement.
Background: What Triggered the Review
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) requested the review in January following a series of violent incidents at hospitals across the province. The Health Ministry launched the process in response, and in May it contracted Buckingham Security Services Ltd. to conduct the six-month review. Former Saskatoon police chief Clive Weighill led the effort as executive director.
The review involved around 30 people and cost approximately $1 million. Weighill previously told Global News that his team consulted a wide range of stakeholders, including unions, protective services officers, First Nations representatives and new immigrants to Canada. However, he confirmed the review would not investigate the specific circumstances surrounding the death of 36-year-old Trevor Dubois, who died on January 9 after an altercation with security staff at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital. Instead, that incident would only be examined at a high level alongside other security events to identify broader trends.
Government’s Next Steps
Cockrill said the completed review gives the province an opportunity to accelerate action on identified vulnerabilities. He outlined a targeted approach, noting that specific issues flagged at individual facilities would need resolution within defined timeframes. “This specific item was addressed in this facility; this needs to get dealt with in the next 30 days,” he said.
Meanwhile, the province had already taken initial steps in January by installing metal detectors at emergency department entrances in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and North Battleford. The SHA also committed to hiring 51 protective service workers to staff those detectors. Together, the detectors and staffing costs totalled $3 million.
In addition to those earlier investments, Cockrill said the Health Ministry plans to introduce a more comprehensive and integrated safety plan. “There’s more work to do, but you’re going to see, out of this report, I think, really a more integrated plan come forward,” he said. However, Cockrill did not provide a timeline for when the review’s findings would be made available to the public.
