Royal Inland Hospital.
(ASHLEY LEGASSIC - REPORTER / iNFOnews.ca)
February 15, 2023 - 7:00 AM
A man is facing three criminal charges after a health-care worker was assaulted in Royal Inland Hospital's emergency department last week.
A care aide was punched in the Kamloops hospital's ER around 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9, by what Interior Health called an unruly person.
An off-duty police officer was already at the hospital and arrested the assailant with the help of security staff, according to RCMP. The suspect is also accused of resisting the arrest.
The assault was was first reported by the CBC.
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"This was a concerning incident and our focus is to ensure that staff who were involved get the appropriate follow-up and supports," Interior Health said in a statement to iNFOnews.ca. "We can confirm that site and senior Interior Health leadership have reached out to staff involved to ensure they are supported."
Camille Jackie Gauthier, born in 1978, is facing two assault charges and a charge of resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
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He'll appear in Kamloops provincial court for a bail hearing on Feb. 17.
Interior Health said staff safety is a "top priority" for the health authority and it has process in place to de-escalate situations where employees feel "impacted." That includes multiple training programs for staff to deal with aggressive patients or visitors.
Royal Inland Hospital has six full-time security guards on a 24/7 rotation, and all were on duty the night of the attack.
The health authority said it also tracks and investigates incidents with the goal of reducing future risks.
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