A Prince Albert jury left the city police and Parkland Health Region with four recommendations following a three-day coroner’s inquest into the death of Billy Ballantyne.
Ballantyne died in November 2012. He came to the Prince Albert hospital because he was feeling sick but was arrested and taken to jail after a disturbance at the health centre.
He did not see a doctor and, shortly after while in police custody, he started having breathing problems. An ambulance was called, but he died in hospital of an acetaminophen overdose.
An inquest into his death concluded Wednesday at Prince Albert Court of Queen's Bench.
A jury suggested police check with medical specialists before taking someone away from the hospital and recommended police report to a sergeant right away if someone in their custody appears to have a medical issue.
The jury also suggested triage nurses have an assistant to keep time guidelines for patient re-assessment and that security guards working at the hospital consult with a medical practitioner before calling police to remove someone who is being disruptive.
