The Ontario Ministry of Labour has laid charges against the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) after an incident involving an alleged brutal beating of a nurse by a patient in January.

The four charges — laid under the Occupational Health and Safety Act — include failing to provide sufficient information and supervision to protect a worker from workplace violence and failing to implement measures and procedures to protect workers from workplace violence.

CAMH faces a maximum $2 million fine if convicted of all four charges.

In an email statement to the Star, CAMH manager of public affairs Julie Rosenberg said the centre was “very disappointed” by the charges.

“CAMH specializes in treating patients with complex and serious forms of mental illness and addictions, including those with behavioural, cognitive and developmental disorders,” she said. “Quality of care and staff and patient safety are our highest priorities.”

Rosenberg said CAMH looks forward to “vigorously” defending the charges in court.

The charges are in relation to an incident on Jan. 12 in which a patient allegedly attacked a nurse at CAMH, said ministry spokesperson William Lin. The ministry followed up with an investigation, he said.

The nurse was reportedly “beaten beyond recognition,” dragged and kicked multiple times by the patient, said the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the Ontario Nurses’ Association in a news release earlier this month.

An ONA representative said colleagues thought she was dead.

“We feel that in this case, the hospital didn’t take all the precautions it could have to protect our member’s … safety,” said Lisa McCaskell, senior health and safety officer with OPSEU, which represents the registered practical nurse who was beaten.

McCaskell said the charges put a spotlight on the issue of safety in hospital and mental health facility workplaces. Employers need to do more to prevent assaults, she said.

“We’re seeing a real increase in very serious violence in our healthcare facilities, that’s what we hear anecdotally,” she said. “The situation is pretty grim out there.”

In their December news release, OPSEU and the ONA urged the Ministry of Labour, Toronto police and Crown attorneys to lay charges against CAMH for the attack.

“It shouldn’t have to come to this,” said Vicki McKenna, a registered nurse and vice-president with the ONA. “Employers have an obligation, no matter what, to ensure the safety of patients and staff. And that’s where obviously the ministry has seen that CAMH hasn’t done their job.”

McKenna said at Ontario hospitals and mental health facilities, there are problems with overcrowding, lack of security and lack of risk assessment of patients.

Without improvements, McKenna said she is “afraid” more violent assaults will occur.

The nurse harmed in the alleged attack, and a colleague who helped her, are both still off work, the unions confirmed. The nurses’ names have not been made public. The unions said the nurses did not want to speak to the media.

When asked if the ONA would still like to see criminal charges laid against CAMH, McKenna said, “If that is the only thing that will have this employer pay attention, then I guess that’s what it has to be.”

Police told the Star last week they did not intend to lay charges against CAMH in connection with the incident.

Toronto police previously laid charges against the patient involved.

The office of the Attorney General did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

In the 2013-2014 fiscal year there were 453 incidents involving physical assault or abuse at CAMH, according to the OPSEU and ONA news release.

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A court date has been set for Feb. 5 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto.

If convicted, the maximum fine is $500,000 per charge.