B.C. United is renewing its calls to end decriminalization after the release of what it calls an Island Health memo 鈥渁ctively鈥� directing drug use in hospitals.

Dated March 12, the document says it is 鈥渋ntended for acute care staff to help guide interactions with people who use substances鈥� while admitted to health care facilities.

The release comes after the release of a July 2023 document from Northern Health providing guidance staff following what it calls an 鈥渋ncrease in admissions of patients with possession of substances and using substances while in hospital.鈥�

B.C. United鈥檚 Renee Merrifeld, MLA for Kelowna-Mission, said this second document is as 鈥渟hocking as the first鈥� in noting that it directs 鈥渁cute care staff to not only accommodate but actively support drug use in health facilities.鈥�

鈥樷�淚nstead of requiring patients to stop using substances when they access care, staff must work collaboratively with patients,鈥欌�� Merrifeld said, quoting parts of the memo.

Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount, said the document is even worse than the Northern Health document.

鈥樷�淚f a patient has an IV or catheter, provide education on injecting into lines,鈥欌�� she said, quoting a line from the document.

Health Minister Adrian Dix responded that staff has engage with patients, and with the health issues they face.

鈥淪taff will continue to do that, to provide the utmost possible care to everyone in our hospital,鈥� he said.

He added everyone admitted to an acute care hospital deserves the best possible care.

鈥淓veryone needs to have their interests protected,鈥� he said. 鈥淢any people, of course, the vast majority, enter with no substance abuse issues but serious health issues. Their interests need to be protected. If someone has a car accident and ends up in hospital, their interest (has to) be protected. Everyone鈥檚 interests needs to be protected.鈥�

RELATED:

RELATED:

RELATED:

RELATED:

Looming behind this exchange are the related questions of work safety for nurses and decriminalization.

Dix recently formed a task force to help create province-wide standards in response to reports of illicit substances being used in hospitals and nurses being exposed to drugs. Dix told reporters Tuesday the task force will soon report out, while confirming reports of the weekend that hospitals won鈥檛 have designated spaces for illicit drug use.

He also said during Question Period Tuesday B.C. will take all steps necessary to protect patients, pointing to the recent addition of 320 relational security staff to support health care workers.

The B.C. Nurses Union said in a statement to Black Press Media that it supports harm reduction measures supporting individuals experience substance use disorders.

鈥淓xposure to illicit drugs while being consumed in hospital settings is a concern for many of our members,鈥� it reads.鈥漊ltimately, it is the responsibility of health employers to support harm reduction strategies and ensure the occupational health and safety of nurses, health care staff and other patients.鈥�

Island Health said in a statement that the document is neither a 鈥渕emo鈥� nor 鈥減olicy鈥� but rather a 鈥渞esource document to support and promote both patient and staff safety鈥� while providing care to patients using substances, 鈥渋ncluding care management and harm reduction strategies.鈥�

It adds substance use disorder is a medical condition and 鈥減roactive conversations with patients about their substance use is a critical part鈥� of health and safety planning.

The statement also addresses comments around injecting into IV lines.

鈥淪taff will not physically administer any medication or substance to a patient that is not prescribed and the resource document does not direct them to do so,鈥� it said.

鈥淭hrough experience and learning, we understand that patients will sometimes inject unregulated substances into their IVs, if they have them,鈥� it reads, adding that this practice carries many significant risks.

鈥淭hat is why it is important to educate patients on safety, if the provider鈥檚 assessment indicates that there is a risk that the patient may inject through an existing IV line,鈥� it reads. 鈥淲e know through learned experience that not providing education is not a patient-centred approach.鈥�