Saskatoon city councillor Darren Hill files lawsuit against SHA

Saskatoon Ward 1 Coun. Darren Hill has filed a lawsuit against the Saskatchewan Health Authority and five doctors who treated him after he was hospitalized more than two years ago.

In the lawsuit, filed on March 27, 2023 in Court of King’s Bench, Hill said he was misdiagnosed, mistreated and held against his will at Royal University Hospital and the Dube Centre for Mental Health.

Claiming negligence, breach of duty of care, misdiagnosis and misexamination involving five doctors working for the SHA, Hill is asking for damages related to loss of income, loss of employment opportunity, damage to reputation, and pain and suffering.

None of the allegations contained in the document have been tested in court.

According to the lawsuit, on March 19, 2021, Hill was at Saskatoon City Hall with an acquaintance when that person called Saskatoon police believing Hill was suicidal.

Police arrived and took Hill to RUH, where he alleges he was locked in a “cell” with only a mattress and dirty sheets, no food or water, no washroom availability, and no two-way communication with health-care staff.

Hill claims he asked to speak with his lawyer, family doctor and psychiatrist, but was denied. He alleges he eventually was transferred to the Dube Centre under Section 24 of the Mental Health Services Act, and held for a total of three days without reasons provided for the detention.

He said he was also asked questions by at least one doctor based on allegations made by an ex-partner from whom he’d recently separated.

Hill was released from the centre on March 22, 2021.

In a response filed July 12, 2023, the SHA denied responsibility for all of Hill’s claims, including physician negligence, misdiagnoses or neglect of duty of care. The SHA statement also indicated that it took too long for Hill to file the lawsuit.

The SHA response claims that when Hill was admitted to RUH, he was experiencing a manic episode and required medical assistance. It also claims that Hill received medical attention from two doctors within three hours of arrival at the hospital.

The statement said after Hill received medication, his symptoms improved dramatically over the course of two days. It said that by March 22, he was no longer experiencing paranoia or mania, and agreed with the diagnosis of a manic episode.

So far, there have been no individual responses filed by the doctors named in the lawsuit.

650 CKOM sent a request for comment to Hill, but he hadn’t responded by the time of publication. The SHA said it can’t comment on matters currently before the courts.