Finlay van der Werken’s family, who lost their cherished 16-year-old in early February 2024, rushed to meet with Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones. For them, it was all about the urgent need for reform in emergency room treatment. Finlay died of the complications of sepsis and pneumonia. He ultimately died after waiting more than eight hours to be seen by a physician at an area hospital. Clinical Pharmacist Hazel and husband GJ van der Werkens are on a mission to fix our healthcare system. Now, under the banner of “Finlay’s Voice,” they’re trying to keep other families from experiencing this kind of heartbreak.
On February 8, 2024, Finlay came to the emergency department. He was rated as a “Level 2” on the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale. Even though he had the most acute situation, he faced the longest delay in getting care. His situation deteriorated significantly, leading to his transfer to Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, where he remained on life support until he was taken off at 1:35 a.m. on February 9.
During their February meeting with Minister Jones, the van der Werkens expressed their frustrations on the ground. They emphasized the dire crisis emergency services are facing in Ontario. They’re calling for automatic inquests when patients have been harmed by delays in care. Further, they’re demanding better staffing ratios in hospitals in an effort to prevent unsafe workloads and lead to higher quality patient care.
Meghan Walker, the attorney for the family, said it is time for accountability and transparency in healthcare leadership. She called on Minister Jones to promise independent, targeted, enforceable oversight of hospitals to guarantee that reforms are successfully instituted.
“The truth of the matter is we have to keep fighting; we have to keep this up.” – Ms. van der Werken
The family’s campaign has caught fire, earning support from almost every major political figure. Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles Very welcome step of @CdnMedAssoc in calling for better staffing ratios in our hospitals. Through her work, she supports the family’s vision for a healthcare system that deeply listens and reacts when patients speak.
Jackson Jacobs, a spokesperson for the Minister, confirmed the importance of the meeting but did not go into further detail.
“We recognize the interest in this meeting; however, out of respect for its confidential and sensitive nature we won’t be able to say any more.” – Jackson Jacobs
The van der Werkens hope that their efforts through “Finlay’s Voice” will instigate meaningful change rather than mere expressions of sympathy from officials. They have established a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/p/Finlays-Voice-61578789743920/) to raise awareness and build community support for their cause.
