"A recently released report suggests that missing Australian man Owen Rooney could have received better care when he was at Boundary Hospital in Grand Forks in August 2010."Read more...
The Castlegar Source article can be read here:
"Missing Australian 26-year-old Owen Rooney’s family has mixed feelings over the results of an independent review of Interior Health Authority’s (IHA) procedures at the time of Owen’s disappearance in August 2010."
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The CBC News article:
"An internal report says medical staff at Boundary Hospital in Grand Forks, B.C., could have done more to help a young Australian man who later vanished from the hospital."Thank you to the news outlets for their continued interest in our story.
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We hope that all the reccommendations from the report are implemented by all Interior Health Hospitals for the safety of their patients.
ReplyDeleteIs there any actual evidence that this young man got beyond the Grand Forks town limits? With great respect, the whole head injury, amnesia thing seems to be driven by a dogmatic belief within the family. No actual evidence for anything, yet this is the default position in most media reports. Again, driven by a hunch by the family. I know youve got to hold onto something but RCMP clearly dont believe it. If he did get beyond GF and is alive, he is clearly missing intentionally, something never discussed in public by the rooney family. Why? And why is RCMP following intentional disappearance as most likely scenario outside of homicide??
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous, Thank you for following our story and asking the tough questions. We see our story only through our own eyes so it is good to for us to see a fresh perspective. We have no belief in where Owen is now. We are covering only one aspect with Owens head injury, and if this is so then we thank the media for their help in awareness.
ReplyDeleteThe RCMP have had a detective review the case starting last April, questioning all the people involved friends hospital and the assailants. If Owen is missing intentionally he would have to be in some sort of mental disconnect. there is no question about that. We find the catch cry "maybe he wants to go missing" a cop out by authorities. We KNOW Owen did not want to go missing, and believe that not many people do!
If Owen has passed either by fair means or foul we have pushed to have this investigated and that is the reason that the detective was assigned to the case. Investigation is police business we cannot do that. We can only keep up the public awareness and hope that it brings information forward.
The information and care from the hospital was absent. They have no idea how Owen was he was not monitored and Owen would not have volunteered his state of mind to them.
He is a quiet and gentle man never been in a fight or any sort of trouble until this incident not even in his teenage years. He told me ready to come home.
So we appreciate all help and if you have any suggestions on what we can do please let us know
Kind regards Sharron
Dear Anonymous: No there is no evidence he left Grand Forks and considerable evidence that he did not. The family clings to a hope that he is alive and suffering from amnesia despite such profound amnesia being very, very rare. The family ascribes his abandoning the items he had previously been very concerned about to his poor medical treatment but this "ambling away towards a potato field" is extremely unlikely to have ever actually taken place. The RCMP which has not performed well in this case is not without fault. The various sightings are lacking in merit. It is natural for family members to allow emotions to override common sense and to cling to hope. I imagine the family will always hold out hope. The RCMP did not act sensibly or properly in this matter.
ReplyDeleteBoundary Hospital breached it's nursing & medical duty of care & protocols, and should be, held accountable for that..As a nurse I am astounded by the lack of medical care & attention not given to Owen. Just disgraceful! Trying to make amends & tell the Rooney's that they have addressed the gaps of medical care by educating the nurses now, is simply offensive, & is not good enough. The fact is ALL Doctors & Nurses in training are taught these policies, before working in the hopsitals, with patients. There is NO excuse! I pray that Owen & His Family are reunited, & may the Rooney's continue to be supported & strengthened by all those who are praying, looking, thinking of Owen & His Family...
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
DeleteThank you for your comment.
When we finally found out about Owens care in Boundary Hospital we were very angry that he was so neglected.
The story of Owens care was built up on inforamtion given over many weeks. We still do not have a clear picture of Owens mental state when he walked from the hospital because of their lack of care and minmal information. The picture that the hospital gave us, was a very different picture, to the evidence we gathered regards Owen over the days before he went into hospital. The fact that Owen went to the Hospital at all was an indicator to us of his severe ill health.
The hospital was not only negligent of Owens care they severely hampered our initial search for him. This also contributed to the lax action from the RCMP.
Owen is responsible for his own actions. He asked for help and it was not given by those in the community that profess and are paid by the community taxes to do this.
It happens every day. We are very lucky to have this forum and the social media and many people to help us to bring Owen back to the family.
We search for Owen with the love and trust of him. The loss is now a differnt space in this journey.
Owens family has its doors wide open for him to return to us in whatever form that may be. He will be supported by our love as he and always will be. Any help given to us in this resolution is gratefully recieved.
Those in Boundary Hospital live with themselves.
This is very sad . Lots of people just seem to drop off the face of the earth . It might be time to accept the fact that this person is no longer alive. No one can live and travel these days without money identification shelter or contact in some way with police or social sevices . There may be foul play or he may have wandered into the bush and got injured and if his condition had deteriorated from the beating he would have no chance alone lost injured and confused . Either way the family is stuck in that no mans land of uncertainty. A body would allow the family to grieve and bury thier son. My only hope is some closure can be gained soon . Im am sad for the family they seem like such good people .
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comments and your good wishes.
The family has come to no conclusion regards Owen because, as you say, their is none. We live in today and working to be at peace each day with what is mostly doing not too badly.
We still work with whatever has to be done to have all doors pathways and our hearts open for Owen to return to us in whatever form that may be.
Many people live off the grid. Many people live on the streets. Many people never come in contact with authorities if they live quietly. Many people never join the dots or make connections about other people.
No one just drops off the face of the earth.Some one knows something.
We feel that as a family, Owen deserves the best chance to return to the very many family and friends who love and support him if that is possible.
Resolution and for those dots to be connected regards Owens story would be a true gift for us all so we keep this story very open as an intergal PART of our lives.
Thanks again
kind regards
Sharron Rooney
It's very easy to blame hospital staff... As a critical care nurse in a big city... Montreal.... Our system does not work to support staff... Its easy to blame... I don't know exactly what happened, but it could be very easy for someone to walk out during a code blue or some other emergency.... To blame our Canadian health professionals I think is naive and unfair.... Whilst there is much incompetence, it would be difficult to stop a young, strong, and determined young man from leaving... If they didn't know his personality, how could they compare former and latter behaviour? It is too convenient to blame.....
ReplyDeleteHi Dalnurse
DeleteIn any stressful situation, it seems we all look to blame someone.
From the begining we have only been too ready to admit Owens poor choices that placed him in the predicament that he was in.
We were very very puzzled after the 1st instance speaking to the hospital Doctor and management as they assured us that he was OK Physically and mentally. They stated "he was a bit weepy".
After several months of questioning and finally getting doctors notes transcribed as they were illegible the following was discovered.
This is a approx 12 BED hospital.
Owen was treated on admission at midday and admitted for head injuries bruising to the face and temples and blood in his ears after an assault.
Owen admitted to having taken mushrooms at shambala festival and not sleeping since.
He was given valium and percocete without a toxicology report or a head scan. He was given a facial scan He was NOT placed on head injury protocol.He slept. His obs were taken at 6pm that evening and midnight at noted that he washed and urinated at 6am the next morning.The doctor saw him at nine and decided to keep him in hospital for the weekend because he might call in a social worker monday.Owens cell phone was broken he asked for a phone and was givien a phone that only made local calls. Owen made a point of thanking all the nurses for looking after him around 3pm while they were on their break.
Owen walked from the hospital that evening leaving all his gear behind.
They think he was outside eating his dinner about 5pm.
They didnt know or didnt say what was happening with Owen.
The RCMP alert stated Owen was halucinating.
Our questions still stand
If he was OK why was he not discharged
why was he reported as hallucnating
If mental issues were suspected why was a social worker not called saturday morning
No one asked if he had been able to call someone on the phone.(they knew he was not a local).
Owen was struggling and asked for help. The help that was given was minimal to say the least considering his injuries.
Owens case has initiated several changes in policy within the hospital protocols and training which is only a good thing.
Asking these questions has initiated changes but we as a family have not been given these answers even after internal investigations. The hospital closed ranks.
If you would like to watch the Australian 60 minutes program that has a link on this website... they gave a good depiction of Owens circumstance.
Thank you for commenting we really appreciate your interest. we have a facebook page "help find Owen Rooney" if you would care to join and share it would be also greatly apprecaited
Kind regards
Sharron