Windsor Regional Hospital to use metal detectors following stabbing

The Windsor Regional Hospital will be using handheld metal detectors to search patients returning to the mental health unit following a stabbing that left a Windsor woman with wounds to her neck Saturday.

Hospital officials have been hosting meetings with staff from the Emergency Department, mental Health program, safety committees, union representatives and security staff after a 17-year-old patient allegedly stabbed another mental health patient when he was returning from a day pass visit.

The hospital is working on recommendations for the permanent process patients should follow when returning from a day pass and to "codify" the process that's currently being used to clear patients for a day pass, according to CEO David Musyj.

Temporarily enhanced security at the hospital includes the metal detectors, which Musyj said could also be used in other parts of the hospital.

"We cannot stress enough how appreciative everyone was regarding our hospital teams' response to the event that occurred and are critically examining it to become safer for our team members, visitors and patients," he added.