Dr. Ryan Herriot and his team set up an information booth and pop-up drug overdose prevention site in Victoria today (Feb. 18), on Richmond Road "within sight," of the Royal Jubilee hospital.
He said his team was also making available harm reduction supplies to decrease the spread of diseases.
“A lot of people do sort of disappear into the bushes and darker spaces of the hospital campus anyways, and use, and too often do overdose and are found too late, so we’re trying to facilitate a better outcome for everybody.
Herriot noted police had “been by,” but suggested it was not for any controversial reason and rather just to check things out. He also suggested many overdose prevention services start out as unsanctioned before governments pick up the program in some way.
He also suggested that patients who feel they need to use substances either leave hospital early, which puts a strain on the system in the long run when they are re-admitted even sicker, or stay and can create tense situations.
“It also leads to situations inside where things are potentially unsafe for nurses or staff. We’ve seen the BC Nurses Union come out in support of what we’re doing because they recognize that this is A, needed for patient care and B, would represent an improvement in their safety. Whether you like it or not, we take no moral position, but people do use substances, they always have they always will. And they have a right to life and to be kept safe.”
He said his team plans to stay out there today and tomorrow (Feb. 18) until roughly 5 or 6 p.m.
Harriot was on CFAX 1070 with Al Ferraby today: