Psychiatric hospital waiting for report on arson
Last Updated: Monday, March 2, 2009 | 9:48 AM ET
CBC News
Charlottetown's Hillsborough Hospital will wait until it has the final report of inspectors on a fire two weeks ago before making any changes to how it controls patient access to smoking materials.
'People have to be escorted by a family member or by a staff member.'— David White, Hillsborough Hospital
Based on evidence found in the room where the Feb. 16 blaze began, fire inspectors have concluded it was deliberately set. The fire began in a corner of a patient's room at about 9:30 p.m.
It was quickly put out and no one was injured, but there was smoke and water damage and some patients had to be moved into the gym for a few days.
Officials haven't said exactly how they believe the fire was started, but the hospital does control patients' access to combustible materials, including a strict strict smoking policy, said David White, director of support services with Hillsborough Hospital.
"On admission we do what's called a safety check for all patients, in that their belongings are searched for cigarettes and lighters, and medications and that sort of thing," White told CBC News on Friday.
"Those things are confiscated and locked away for those patients."
New patients who are smokers are not allowed to leave the building, and are given a nicotine patch or gum to help them deal with cravings, White said. As they earn privileges they can go outside to smoke, but even then, there are restrictions.
On each shift one staff member is responsible for giving out cigarettes or lighters and for keeping track of them by having the patient sign for them. "People have to be escorted by a family member or by a staff member," said White.
"They have to watched constantly or they have to be watched every 15 minutes and so on."
Once they have finished their smoke, patients are required to sign in and return the lighter.
White believes the policy is working, but will look at it again once he receives the fire inspector's report, expected this week.
