The union that represents paramedics across the province says government has taken a significant first step in addressing issues facing paramedics in the metro region.
Yesterday, Health Minister John Haggie announced that three new ambulances and 25 new full-time hires have been approved, as well as additional space at the Health Science to deal with capacity and offloading issues.
NAPE President Jerry Earle acknowledges the benefit that the changes will have, but says they will take time to put in place.
Earle says that while he and Minister Haggie were speaking before the announcement was made, St. John’s was once again in red alert.
Reaction from paramedics to the announcement, Earle says, has been varied.
He says some are glad the issues are finally being addressed, but others outside of metro are now questioning when the problems in their area will be addressed.
Province’s Ambulance Plan Will Leave Rural NL Short: Teamster Local 855
The union representing some private ambulance workers in the province predicts the province’s new plan to expand the fleet of ambulances and paramedics in the metro region will backfire, and leave rural Newfoundland and Labrador in worse shape than it is now.
Hubert Dawe, the business manager of Teamster Local 855, says the new hires will not be people from outside the province but it will end up being 25 transfers from private rural services.
He says the addition of three vehicles for Eastern Health equates to the loss of six vehicles in the private service.