B.C. man stunned to discover physiotherapist called him 'redneck,' 'lowlife' in medical file
A B.C. health authority is investigating after a complaint from a Merritt man who said he was stunned to find hurtful and derogatory comments made about him in a medical file.
Robert Munro, 37, has been delivering furniture for the past 14 years.
But, he said, in December, he injured his back at work.
“All I felt was something in my back stretch and go pop,” he said.
He hasn’t been able to work since.
He filed a claim with WorkSafeBC, and said last week, he met with a physiotherapist at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.
“He was really nice, to my face anyway,” Munro said.
But when he checked his WorkSafeBC file online after the appointment, he said he was shocked to find what the physiotherapist had written.
The physiotherapist described Munro as “redneck hick to death, uneducated, seems to fear his own shadow.”
The physiotherapist also wrote: “I think he’s playing the system more than he should.”
It was also noted that Munro “lives in Merritt and he has no license."
"Would not be surprised," the file continued. "His uneducated, lowlife style led him to a DUI.”
“When I read that, I didn’t know what to think. I was already down in the dumps due to me not working. It wasn’t right,” Munro said. “I got a hold of my caseworker (at WorkSafeBC) and she said, 'You’re not going back to him.'"
CTV News tried to reach the physiotherapist but did not hear back.
Munro filed a complaint with Interior Health, which says an investigation is underway.
“We have only learned of these concerns earlier this week," said Jayme Newton, Interior Health's director of clinical operations for the Thompson Cariboo region, in an email to CTV News.
"We can say that the language from this transcript is not what we would expect from an Interior Health employee regarding a patient or client and we will be following up on these concerns … While I cannot speak to individual personnel issues, Interior Health does have a code of conduct that outlines expectations for all employees, including our duty to be respectful and compassionate to the individuals we serve.”
WorkSafeBC wouldn’t speak to the specific claim due to privacy issues, but said in an email that the organization “requires its contractors to follow (its) Code of Business Ethics and Behaviour."
"This includes conducting oneself in a respectful and considerate manner,” the email continued. "In cases where our code of conduct has been breached, WorkSafeBC will conduct a thorough internal investigation.”
Munro said a WorkSafeBC investigation is already underway and that the hurtful comments have been removed from the file. However, he took screenshots of them and provided a copy to CTV News.
Munro thinks the physiotherapist should lose his job. At the very least, he wants an apology.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Strikes on Gaza's southern edge sow fear in one of the last areas to which people can flee
Israeli forces struck the southern Gaza town of Rafah twice overnight, residents said Thursday, sowing fear in one of the last places where civilians could seek refuge after Israel widened its offensive against Hamas to areas already packed with displaced people.
Las Vegas shooting suspect was a professor who recently applied for a job at UNLV, AP source says
The man suspected of fatally shooting three people and wounding another at a Las Vegas university Wednesday was a professor who unsuccessfully sought a job at the school, a law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press.
Police in St. John's have closed the airport after finding suspicious package
The international airport in St. John's, Newfoundland, has been closed following the discovery of a suspicious package.
'I'm so broken': Grieving family speaks out after B.C. cancer patient awaiting treatment chooses MAID
A devastated family says long waits for cancer treatment led a beloved father and grandfather to choose medically assisted death 13 days ago.
'I'm never going to be satisfied': Ontario 'crypto king' lands in Australia as associate flees to Dubai
Ontario’s self-described ‘crypto king’ just landed in Australia, the latest destination in a months-long travel spree he’s prolifically posted about on social media, despite ongoing bankruptcy proceedings tied to the more than $40 million scheme he allegedly operated.
Sask. Second World War veteran honoured with France's highest order of distinction
Jim Spenst, 97, is the most recent Canadian to officially receive France's highest order of distinction: the insignia of Knight of the French National Order of the Legion of Honour.
PM pans Poilievre for 'pulling stunts' by threatening to delay MPs' holidays with House tactics
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is threatening to delay MPs' holidays by throwing up thousands of procedural motions seeking to block Liberal legislation until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau backs off his carbon tax. It's a move Government House Leader Karina Gould was quick to condemn, warning the Official Opposition leader's 'temper tantrum' tactics will impact Canadians.
Renowned scholar, with ties to Waterloo, Ont. university, reportedly killed with his family in Gaza
Sofyan Taya, a former guest scholar at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike near Gaza City. His friend and former colleague called him a brilliant and gentle soul.
Six ballots, no winner: Assembly of First Nations election spills over to Thursday
Assembly of First Nations organizers sent delegates home without a new national chief late Wednesday after six rounds of balloting failed to produce a winner with enough votes to clear the 60 per cent threshold necessary for victory.