Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Moves Security Team In-House

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Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare will no longer contract out security services and has hired the more than 30 men and women on as staff members

“Safety is not just a word at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare it is a culture, commitment and expectation,” said Bill Marra, HDGH’s VP of External Affairs which includes responsibility for the Security portfolio. “Recruiting, training, retaining and evaluating our HDGH Security Team allows us to develop value-based security leaders and a shared sense of purpose and empowerment.”

The decision meant a $600,000 one-time capital investment to renovate a 2,500 square foot Security Operations Centre fixed with an eight monitor, three workstations and 14 computer command centre, training space, meeting room, equipment and Personal Alarms System. Operationally this move meant an increase of $400,000 to $1.8 million operating budget.

“Our HDGH Guards see and monitor a lot on our west-end campus- individuals facing end-of- life, mental health and addictions issues, child and youth mental health, behavioural concerns and those with stressors from physical trauma,” said Pat Keane, HDGH’s Manager of Security. “We aren’t just building a team, but building a program, a culture, a new way of safety and security.”

The hospital says the change results in hiring and retaining high quality individuals, and also allows for specialized program-specific training for the unique complexities of  programs and services, as well as physical size of main and offsite HDGH campuses.

HDGH’s Security Personnel are trained in control and defense tactics, non-violent crisis intervention, effective communications, Criminal Code applications, first aid and CPR, emergency management and have completed a comprehensive on-site training program that includes the hospital’s mission, vision and values as well as the organizational structure.