Hospital has nothing more to say about claims of Hamilton Spectator The Ontario Canada July 25 1996 pB3

Ho sp ital has no thing mo re to say abo ut claims o f ' - Hamilto n Sp e ctato r, T he (O ntario , Canada) - July 25,
1996 - p age B3
July 25, 1996 | Hamilton Spectator, The (Ontario, Canada) | Shaun N. Herron | Pag e B3
No comment. T wo weeks after it announced an external review of its Centre for Behavioural
Rehabilitation, Chedoke-McMaster Hospitals says it has nothing more to say.
"So far we have been very forthcoming," said spokesman Krista Foss. "We believe our energies
would be better devoted to working out the details of the independent review and dealing with the
individual families' concerns."
On T uesday the hospital cancelled a Spectator interview with vice-president of clinical services Jay
Graydon dealing with a two-year-old report into the operation of Chedoke-McMaster's acquired
brain injury program.
T he hospital also refused to answer questions about the operation of the provincially funded
program.
Mr. Graydon did not return phone calls from T he Spectator.
A spokesman said chief administrator Dr. Jennifer Jackman was not available.
She added that Ms Foss spoke for the hospital.
Diana and John Martin, the parents of former CBR patient Robbie T hompson, charged two weeks
ago that he was "tortured" at Chedoke Hospital, a division of Chedoke-McMaster, while under the
care of Ahmos Rolider . T hey have demanded a public inquiry from the province into the Rolider
program and Chedoke-McMaster's role in administering it from 1989 to 1993.
Both Mr. Rolider and the hospital have denied Mr. T hompson or any other patient was mistreated
at the CBR.
T he hospital announced its own independent review within hours of the Martins' call.
No date has been set for the study, but Chedoke-McMaster says it will seek Ministry of Health help
drawing up the terms and selecting the review panel.
T he study will examine the administration of the program and the treatment of patients at the
five-bed behavioural rehabilitation centre on the Mountain.
T he focus of the controversy is Mr. Rolider 's use of aversive therapies. T hese range from
reprimands to physical -- and sometimes painful -- restraints to correct inappropriate behaviour.
T he CBR dealt with patients with serious behavioural problems during Mr. Rolider 's tenure.
T he hospital came under fire last week after saying the Martins were aware of the treatment Mr.
T hompson would receive at the centre.
T hey apologized last Friday, saying they were mistaken.
T he Martins, however, are furious that Chedoke-McMaster spoke about Mr. T hompson's
confidential record. Portions of that record have been made available by the Martins and other
critics of Mr. Rolider and the hospital.
Chedoke-McMaster has since refused to discuss the Martins' charges about their son's treatment,
saying they will be addressed in the independent review.
T he hospital has said the study could be launched by the end of the summer.
CIT AT ION (APA ST YLE)
N. Herron, S. (1996, July 25). Hospital has nothing more to say about claims of 'torture'. Hamilton Spectator,
The (Ontario, Canada), p. B3. Available from NewsBank: Access World News:
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/10B30CE59439B818.
Copyrig ht (c) 1996, The Hamilton Spectator. All rig hts reserved.