Nova Scotia discusses solutions for ambulance offload delays
Nova Scotia discusses solutions for ambulance offload delays
Nova Scotia discusses solutions for ambulance offload delays
On Tuesday, offload delays were on the agenda at the Nova Scotia government's meeting of the Standing Committee on Health.
"It was bad when I was on the ambulance. It's getting worse every day. The stories our paramedics share with us is heartbreaking," said former paramedic Michael Nickerson.
The union representing paramedics in Nova Scotia pushed for wage parity and better working conditions for its members.
"This is now the third time we've stood in front of a government committee to beg for a change, the first being in 2019. That's three years of repeated pleas," said IUOE Local 727 business manager Kevin MacMullin.
There are currently 29 permanent paramedic vacancies in the province. The union says, of the 1,165 employed paramedics, 200 to 250 can be off at any given time.
MacMullin says 13 members left Nova Scotia throughout April for jobs elsewhere.
"We're dealing with a system that's been left to rot and our paramedics are the ones left to pick up the pieces. They deserve respect, dignity and better wages," he said.
Nova Scotia Health says hiring new transition teams at the Dartmouth General has reduced offload times by 65 per cent.
The pilot project is also planned for the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.
"The plan includes expanding community-based paramedic programs, expanding medical transport services, temporarily licensing policies for graduates through the college," said Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Health and Wellness, Craig Beaton.
The Nova Scotia government says it has taken steps to cut the number of patients being transferred by emergency ambulances in half.
"By decreasing the number of transports completed by emergency paramedics, what the goal is to increase their capacity to be available in the communities to respond to 911 calls," said Executive Director of Emergency Medical Care Inc., Jan Jensen.
MacMullin says future meetings with government are planned, but the hope is to have a direct conversation with the premier or health minister.
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