Research institute, Douglas Institute, and psychiatrist ordered to compensate patient's sibling $40,000

In a landmark ruling, the court has found the Montreal University Mental Health Institute (Douglas) and a psychiatrist, Dr. David Bloom, negligent in the death of Jean-Sébastien Gélinas, six years ago. Jean-Sébastien took his own life in his room at the Douglas Institute in 2018.

The court concluded that Jean-Sébastien's death was a foreseeable consequence of the establishment's and a psychiatrist's faults, including medical follow-up and patient surveillance.

Prior to his death, Jean-Sébastien's friend had contacted the Douglas Institute, expressing concern about his state. However, the nurse on duty at the time "banalized the call" and did not take note of the caller's coordinates. This oversight was one of the factors that contributed to the tragic outcome.

Dr. Bloom, the psychiatrist who cared for Jean-Sébastien during his last hospital stay, did not consult the patient's previous file, contact his colleagues who had followed him before, or examine the file related to his current hospitalization. This lack of comprehensive medical history review was another factor that the court found to be negligent.

The court believes that if Dr. Bloom had known about the call, he would have re-evaluated the suicide risk of Jean-Sébastien and taken measures to ensure his safety. The court also found that the Institute was negligent in the determination of the room, its location, the absence of security accessories based on the known patient history, and in the exercise of its surveillance.

Melanie Gélinas, Jean-Sébastien's sister, has won the court case. The court has ordered the Institute to pay $40,000 to M. Gélinas. Melanie emphasizes the importance of taking warnings from loved ones seriously.

This ruling is a significant step towards ensuring better care and safety for patients in mental health institutions. Our site, a rigorous and lucid media outlet, continues to provide keys to better understand local and international news, promoting transparency and accountability.

In other news, Guy Rocher, an engaged sociologist, has passed away. Education, secularism, democracy, rights: nothing about modern Quebec was foreign to Guy Rocher. His contributions to the sociological and political landscape of Quebec will be greatly missed.

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Research institute, Douglas Institute, and psychiatrist ordered to compensate patient's sibling $40,000