Overview

• The 66-page report documents improper restraint and seclusion at Restigouche Hospital Centre, including physical harm and a verified sexual assault that was referred to the RCMP with no charges laid.
• Patients reported spending two to 285 hours in seclusion and three to 58 hours restrained, left soiled in rooms without a way to call for help or reliably access water, meals or showers.
• Investigators found staff used restraints without required medical orders or adequate documentation and that neither Vitalité nor Horizon had province-wide monitoring in place.
• Vitalité apologized, accepted all recommendations, introduced a live dashboard to track restraints and is preparing policy and training changes, while Horizon accepted the findings and will submit an action plan to the ombud by December.
• The 21 recommendations call for updates to the Mental Health Act, standardized incident reporting and stronger oversight across health authorities, commitments the government and both networks say they will carry out.