Latest news with #HorizonHealth
Global News
22-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
N.B. family says son with autism kicked out of ER for being loud, disruptive
The parents of a New Brunswick boy say they're angry after they were asked to leave a hospital emergency room because their son, who has ADHD and autism, was allegedly being too loud while he was waiting to be seen for seizures. Lorissa and Glendon Kingston had brought their seven-year-old son, Cayden, to the Saint John Regional Hospital's ER department on July 15. Cayden, who is non-verbal and has epilepsy, has struggled with seizures since birth and had been experiencing longer episodes in recent days. 'The absence seizures are a lot more worse than the normal ones he has where he's jolting. The absent ones can create issues … like brain damage,' his father, Glendon, explained. The family called their pediatrician's office and was advised to take Cayden to the Saint John Regional Hospital. Story continues below advertisement Lorissa says they were triaged by a nurse upon entering the ER and then told to wait in the children's RAZ (rapid assessment zone) waiting room. She recalls that after another patient left, she was alone with her son in that particular room. 'Then he started to get overwhelmed with all the seizures that he was having. So sometimes he vocal stims, and he'll have vocal outbursts where he just screeches and it's not really controllable,' Lorissa said. 'So he started having those and then the nurse come in and said, 'If he can't stop screaming, you guys will have to leave and you won't be welcome here because he's disrupting other patients.'' Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Lorissa says she explained to the nurse that her son can't control the stims. 'She's like, 'Well then, I guess I need you guys to leave.' So we ended up just getting up and leaving and then followed up with a doctor after.' The parents say it feels like their son was discriminated against and they're upset they're being forced to fight for health care for him. 'I never thought we would ever get kicked out of an emergency room while seeking care for him,' Lorissa said. Story continues below advertisement '(It) is basically a human right that you need medical help, you go, you get the help you need. And they turned him away. So, it was sad because they were discriminating against him for being different.' ER was at 206% capacity: Horizon Health In a statement to Global News, Horizon Health Network said that while it could not comment on the specifics of the case due to privacy laws, it wanted to 'express compassion to the child and their family during what was a distressing and difficult situation.' Pam Power, the clinical executive director of emergency medicine and critical care, said Horizon does not deny care to any patient in the ER and follows a standardized triage protocol. 'We aim to provide compassionate, inclusive care to all patients. This includes making efforts to accommodate patients who may be non-verbal, neurodivergent, or have other communication or behavioural challenges,' she wrote. 'Staff are encouraged to offer quieter spaces when available and to work with families and caregivers to understand and support the patient's unique needs.' The statement goes on to say that Saint John Regional Hospital, along with the other regional hospitals, has been facing significant 'capacity challenges.' 'On the date referenced, the ED inpatient occupancy at SJRH was at 206%,' she added. Story continues below advertisement Power encouraged anyone with concerns about their experiences to reach out to their patient relations department. Lorissa showed Global News a copy of an email she sent to that department on July 15, but said she hasn't received a reply. She adds that in the past, when they've sought medical care and Cayden was experiencing vocal stims, they were given a separate room but had never been denied care before. Meanwhile, the Kingston family hopes speaking out about their experience will enact change because ultimately, they know they have to keep going to the hospital's ER if Cayden needs medical attention. 'In the future, I know that I would bring him back if he had to go back but the thought is still going to be in my head: 'What if they kick us out again?'' Lorissa said. 'It will never be like, 'Oh yeah, I'm confident that he'll get the help he needs.' I just want the people who I've reached out to to do something because I know that they have the power to do it.'
CTV News
16-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
N.B. health network says hospitals overcrowded
Atlantic Watch Horizon Health received permission to discharge some patients in N.B. hospitals to free up space.
CTV News
27-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
N.B. premier says Horizon didn't follow directive to consult with nurses on staffing changes
N.B. Premier Susan Holt says Horizon Health staff positions won't change until employees have their say. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says the Horizon Health Network must step up its consultations with nurses, one day after announcing 'a stop' within the health authority on potential changes to mental and public health staffing. 'How do we make public health better? How do we make addictions and mental health better? The people on the front lines have the clearest view to that, and that engagement hasn't happened yet,' said Holt in an interview Friday. On Wednesday, Horizon Health officials met with nurses to discuss what it called 'a transformation' of how public health, mental health and addiction services would be delivered by the health authority. Premier Holt said the provincial government didn't give Horizon officials approval to outline the plan as it did to nurses, calling it 'unexpected.' 'I believe Horizon told registered nurses in public health, mental health, and addictions that they would be replaced by licensed practical nurses over the next one to two years. So, it's that act that is going to stop,' said Holt. 'That plan, to do that full scale replacement, is going to stop.' Horizon didn't respond to a request for comment on Friday. On Thursday, the health authority scheduled a media availability on the topic before it was cancelled an hour beforehand. Horizon later released a statement saying it was 'committed to engaging in ongoing, two-way dialogue with our staff and all relevant stakeholders.' The topic first came to light in the provincial legislature last month, when interim Progressive Conservative Leader Glen Savoie said some nurses had been given ultimatums to either accept new roles or face potential layoffs. Previously, both Premier Holt and Health Minister Dr. John Dornan have said their objective to move some nurses to 'the right place' wouldn't result in layoffs. Paula Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, said Holt's decision to pause the plan was 'the right call.' 'Consultation with stakeholders should've taken place long before Wednesday,' said Doucet. 'You don't take a philosophical idea and try to implement that without meaningful conservation and back-and-forth dialogue.' Susan Holt New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt speaks with reporters in Doaktown. (Source: Nick Moore/CTV News Atlantic) For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTV News
27-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Seasonal staffing challenges cause mammogram cancellations at N.B. hospital
Some patients at the Charlotte County Hospital have recently had their mammography appointments changed. In a statement sent to CTV Atlantic Horizon Health Network Vice-President of Quality, Patient Experience and Professional Services Jeff Carter says some patients have had their appointments for breast screening rescheduled due to seasonal staffing challenges. 'We know that timely access to breast screening is important, and we acknowledge the frustration that comes with delayed or cancelled appointments,' Carter says in a statement. 'Horizon remains fully committed to supporting early detection and treatment by ensuring patients have access to high-quality screening services, as close to home as possible.' The hospitals medical imaging department is currently booking mammography appointments in October according to Carter. When fully staffed, the Charlotte County Hospital are typically available for breast screening appointments two to three days a week. Carter admits there is one vacancy at the hospital for a medical radiation technologist that the health agency is looking to fill but are otherwise fully staffed. Pre-approved summer vacations for staff are part of the reason for the appointment issues. 'We are grateful to the community for their patience and understanding as we work to improve access to these critical services and enhance the overall experience for all patients accessing breast screening and other services at the Charlotte County Hospital,' says Carter. When asked about the situation Thursday by reporters, New Brunswick's Health Minister John Dornan says his department is working with the health agency to fill the vacancy and return regular service to the hospital. He says they cannot control when staff leave their roles for 'greener fields' or any other reason why people decide to find a new job. 'That's an aspect of our health care system that we don't have people sitting around doing nothing waiting to fill a job,' says Dornan, 'When somebody leaves we work hard to replace them as soon as possible.' Neither Dornan or Horizon was able to say when regular breast screening procedures will return to the hospital. Charlotte County Hospital The Charlotte County Hospital is pictured on June 27, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Avery MacRae) For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
N.B. premier pauses plan to move mental, public health nurses to different roles
The New Brunswick nurses union says members fear layoffs amid planned changes at Horizon Health. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt has paused a plan to change mental and public health staffing within the Horizon Health Network following calls from the nurses' union for clarity and consultations. Holt said she 'asked that there be a stop to these activities until meaningful consultation' were completed in a social media post Thursday afternoon. Holt said she was 'extremely concerned to hear about the potential changes,' one day after a presentation was made to nurses and other Horizon staff. A media availability with Horizon about changes to mental health and public health services was cancelled on Thursday about an hour before it was set to start. Horizon president Margaret Melanson and vice-president of community Natasha Lemieux were scheduled to participate. A statement from Horizon later in the day said it was in the 'early stages' of making changes to mental health and public health, but didn't provide any details. Horizon's statement said it was committed to 'engaging in ongoing, two-way dialogue with our staff and all relevant stakeholders.' New Brunswick Nurses Union president Paula Doucet said the plan's rollout has bungled by Horizon for the past few weeks. 'They've really created a lot of chaos that was unnecessary, had they done meaningful consultations and thoughtfulness around how they were going to roll out this information,' said Doucet in an interview Thursday, just before Holt's announcement of the plan's pause. Doucet said the union has been trying to learn more about the planned changes ever since they were first brought up by the Official Opposition during question period in May. Doucet sent an email to nurses on Wednesday, objecting to what she called Horizon's false suggestion to its membership that the union had given its support for the plan. 'At no point did we endorse a plan, nor see a plan, nor were we consulted,' said Doucet. 'There was no plan document shared with us. There was no back and forth. There were no numbers. It was not a true consultation, absolutely not.' A statement from the Department of Health on Wednesday said Horizon was leading the file, and that the health authority had been directed by the province to be fully transparent with frontline staff. On May 13, Premier Holt said nobody was going to lose their job under any proposed changes, dismissing claims from interim Progressive Conservative Leader Glen Savoie that some nurses had reported being given ultimatums to either accept new roles or face potential layoffs. Susan Holt New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt is pictured speaking with reporters in Fredericton on June 5, 2025. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic) For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
