Home / Health / Quebec Hospital Staff Face Daily Risk of Violence
Quebec Hospital Staff Face Daily Risk of Violence
23 Oct
Summary
- Psychiatric emergency department staff at CHUL are demanding safety improvements.
- A cut to specialized security intervention worker positions in November 2024 led to risks.
- Unions call for restored security presence, better incident documentation, and in-house security.
Unions representing psychiatric emergency department workers at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université Laval (CHUL) in Quebec City protested on Friday, demanding urgent safety enhancements. Staff have been exposed to vulnerable and dangerous situations since November 2024, following the elimination of a specialized security intervention worker position. Without these resources, employees lack the means to safely manage patients who may pose a risk to themselves or others.
Recent incidents underscore the severity of the issue. An employee was injured on August 17, 2026, and continues to suffer from psychological and physical consequences. Another incident involved a hospital porter being assaulted by a psychiatric patient. Union representatives stated that employees face daily risks of violence and aggression, highlighting that financial performance should not compromise worker safety.
The unions are urging Santé Québec and associated institutions to reinstate a continuous presence of specialized security officers at the CHUL psychiatric department. They also advocate for improved incident documentation to enhance risk prevention and mitigation, and for the hospital to bring its security services back in-house for better emergency response coordination. Despite ongoing discussions, unions feel there has been no significant progress, prompting calls for government and Santé Québec intervention.
In response, CHU de Québec-Université Laval and Santé Québec Capitale-Nationale - Universitaire issued a joint statement emphasizing their commitment to patient well-being and security. They highlighted measures already in place, including panic buttons, cameras, and improved protocols. The statement also mentioned a joint risk analysis undertaken after the August 2026 incident and noted that a provincial report on the security of psychiatric emergency departments is in development.
