Last November, the family of Shayne Turner attended the Saskatchewan Legislature calling for an inquest into the 31-year old’s death and today (Thurs) the Chief Coroner has made to recommendations to the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Shayne’s sister Ashley Turner says Shayne was taken to the Regina General Hospital by ambulance after suffering from an overdose. He asked for detox several times but instead was instead given some pamphlets, a cab voucher and was advised to contact social assistance because there were no beds. He died of an overdose the next day.

The two recommendations are for the SHA to come up with a formal protocol between Regina emergency departments and Brief and Social Detox Services, so someone being released who requests detox can get it immediately, and for the SHA to review their protocol, as it pertains to providing naloxone kits for people who are being released from the hospital who were being treated for a drug overdose or drug addiction.

Statistics from the Saskatchewan Coroners Service indicate there were 398 confirmed drug overdoses in 2021, with another 12 still undertermined, for a total of 410 deaths. Last year, up to the end of November, there were 171 confirmed drug deaths plus 224 suspected overdoses, for a total of 395 with one month left to be counted.