P.E.I. will renew ambulance contract with Island EMS for one year

P.E.I. Well being Minister Ernie Hudson has confirmed the provincial authorities will renew its contract with Island EMS for one more full 12 months, regardless of Hudson’s admission that he’s not proud of ambulance response instances within the province.

Following query interval on March 22, Hudson advised reporters the contract with the personal ambulatory providers firm will likely be renewed when the current agreement expires on March 31. Hudson has confronted repeated questions on lengthy ambulance response instances all through the spring sitting of the legislature. Island EMS is owned by Medavie Well being Providers.

On March 11, Tignish-Palmer Highway MLA Hal Perry learn a letter within the legislature from a constituent, whose father, George Kinch, waited greater than an hour for an ambulance after having a coronary heart assault. Kinch died earlier than an ambulance reached him.

Hudson didn’t decide to any important renegotiation of the service contract. A ten-year contract with Island EMS was first signed in October of 2006. It was renewed with out important change every year since 2017.

Data posted on the P.E.I. authorities web site exhibits that ambulance response instances have been steadily rising for West Prince and within the Souris area.

“It is going to be renewed, however we even have to have a look at methods to enhance it,” Hudson mentioned of the contract.

Hudson mentioned he felt it was essential to have a contract in place with Island EMS but additionally mentioned progress needs to be made on filling 9 Island EMS vacancies that at present exist.

When requested why the province wouldn’t use the termination of the present settlement to press for improved service requirements from Island EMS, Hudson pointed to different initiatives to fill vacancies. This consists of plans to create a paramedic float pool, in addition to devoted paramedic items targeted on transferring sufferers.

“Actually, we’ll work with Medavie, Island EMS on that. However we wish to be certain that, as nicely, going ahead that we do have that contract in place.”

In an interview after query interval, Inexperienced MLA Michele Beaton mentioned she would really like Hudson to make use of the contract negotiations to press Island EMS to enhance service requirements.

“We now have the power to barter a contract that places individuals first, that treats Islanders with the respect that they deserve,” Beaton mentioned.

“I see that as dedicating cash towards salaries. I see that as minimal service ranges. And, in the event you aren’t assembly these minimal service ranges, penalties.”

Beaton additionally prompt the province ought to start a feasibility research of the creation of a public-operated ambulance service. She mentioned this could possible take years, however within the meantime, the province may focus sources on enhancing wages for paramedics.

Beaton mentioned wages for main care paramedics in P.E.I. are sometimes as much as $5 per hour decrease than in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.

“There may be nothing stopping us from paying our paramedics greater than they’re getting paid. It is who holds the purse strings,” Beaton mentioned.

Liberal MLA Robert Henderson has been elevating the topic of ambulance wait instances in West Prince for weeks. He mentioned the province must take a extra systemic strategy to decreasing ambulance wait instances.

He mentioned a scarcity of beds in P.E.I. hospitals has meant paramedics usually face longer delays in transferring sufferers.

“It comes again to points like mattress designation, it comes again to scope of follow. You’ll be able to’t have all these beds backed up into long-term care. That impacts acute care, which impacts emergency room(s), which impacts the paramedics as a result of they cannot discharge the sufferers,” Henderson mentioned.

Henderson mentioned he has but to see a long-term plan from the King authorities to take care of ongoing employees shortages all through the well being system – from nurses to ambulatory employees.

“Authorities has to take some sense of steering of the place this factor goes,” he mentioned.

“They don’t seem to be being proactive in any respect.”