Whereas ongoing labour shortages are prevalent in most small rural communities in ambulance halls throughout British Columbia, leading to increased response times and reducing patients access to possibly lifesaving treatment; And whereas BC Emergency Health Service BCEHSs ambulance service is a vital component of life safety and access to healthcare for those who live and work in small rural communities, which are often a significant distance from fully-equipped hospitals: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to provide more resources along with a commitment to finding a long-term solution to staff shortages for small rural community ambulance services.
Ministry of Health On April 20, 2020, the Province announced 55 additional ground ambulances and 5 additional aircraft to help support the response to COVID-19. A surge plan was co-developed with regional health authorities and the First Nations Health Authority, and the resources were staged, ready to be deployed as and when needed. By November 15, 2020, all resources have been staffed and positioned in 35 communities across the province in order to well prepare the system for surges of COVID-19. With respect to Northern Health, an additional six ambulances have been deployed, including one ambulance in Dawson Creek, two in Prince George, one in Smithers and two in Terrace. The units are focused primarily on inter-facility transfers but can be deployed as 911 response units where required. Increased focus on inter-facility transfers allows for much-needed capacity on the 911 side. This interim strategy is flexible and allows these resources to be deployed where the needs exist. BCEHS has created a major incident rapid response team MIRRT of specialized paramedics that can be, and has been, deployed to provide support to local paramedics and regional health authorities, if requested, in communities experiencing significant surges in COVID-19 cases.