Brass Inquest Jury Delivers Nine Recommendations

Brass Inquest Jury Delivers Nine Recommendations

Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 15:38

 

 

A toxicology expert says he was unable to determine the levels of drugs in a Key First Nation man who died at the Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford.

 

That’s because the federal government doesn’t share health information on First Nations people with the province, due to privacy concerns.

 

A coroner’s jury in Battleford said last night that has to change.

 

The jury said the federal departments of Justice, Indian Affairs and Health should share that information about First Nations people when they die.

 

That’s one of nine recommendations it has made.

 

The jury was presiding at a coroner’s inquest into the death of 35-year-old Ivar Dean Brass.

 

Brass was found hanging from a rope in a garage on the hospital grounds on July 30th, 2007.

 

The jury’s other recommendations included replacing rope with light ribbons where possible.

 

The jurors said video or motion detectors should be installed at all facilities where patients are situated.

 

Witnesses testified that police and ambulance crews had trouble finding the right building when called to the scene.

 

The jury suggested putting clear signs on buildings so emergency crews can easily get to the right place.

 

They also said emergency crews should get updated information annually on any changes to the Saskatchewan Hospital grounds.