UPDATES:
November 6, 2018 - This report was presented as a case study in Obstetric Violence and patient mistreatment in childbirth to the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Mr. Dainius Pūras of Lithuania, during his visit to Ottawa.
October 29, 2018 - Read about St. Joe’s response to the survey report here.
Patient Experiences at St. Joe's Toronto - Survey Report
As The Reproductive Justice Story Project, we conducted an independent survey of people who had received care at St. Joseph’s Health Centre (30 The Queensway, Toronto, Ontario), now part of Unity Health Toronto.
At the time the survey was created, St. Joe’s was still not actively soliciting feedback from all patients of their Family Birthing Centre. The purpose of our survey was to gather feedback that would likely not have otherwise reached the hospital.
The survey was open from September 2017 - January 2018. Responses to the survey varied widely, from people who had very positive care experiences, to those who had very negative ones.
Our report does not aim to discount the many positive, empowering experiences that patients report, but to highlight the very real distress and trauma that a significant number of people have endured as a result of accessing perinatal care at St. Joe’s. This report focuses on areas for improvement.
We hope that St. Joseph’s Health Centre will examine the policies and culture in place that allow these distressing experiences to occur. We believe it’s an opportunity for St. Joe’s to demonstrate their commitment to their own values by taking action against Obstetric Violence and patient mistreatment within their facilities to become a leader in patient-centred care and trauma-informed care in our community.
Although this is a report based on experiences at one specific hospital, similar responses could have easily been gathered from other hospitals and care settings across Canada.
Obstetric Violence is a daily reality here, as it is around the world. Healthcare providers, hospital administrators, doulas, students, and policy makers could benefit from reading this report and reflecting on ways to move forward and work towards change.
content note: the following report contains firsthand accounts of Obstetric Violence and patient mistreatment that may be distressing for some readers - please practice self-care while reading.
The Obstetric Justice Project is a patient advocacy initiative working to bring attention to obstetric and reproductive violence across Canada. Here on the website, you'll find our Community Story Blog filled with submissions from patients and professionals about their own experiences in reproductive healthcare across the country.
Patients, families, birth workers and other professionals have been invited to share their own stories (anonymous or otherwise) to help continue to push these conversations into the spotlight and work towards meaningful change. Consider joining us in speaking up: