Eastern Health is responding to recent concerns raised about Red Alerts – periods of time when ambulances are not available for a call.
NAPE raised the alarm last week, indicating that the number of Red Alert situations were on the rise.
Union President Jerry Earle says the increase is due in-part to the fact that paramedics cannot leave a patient until they have been admitted to hospital. In other cases, ambulance teams are involved in home palliative care, a program Earle fully supports.
Eastern Health says it is continuing to investigate the factors contributing to Red Alerts. They include population growth, demographics, geographical considerations, call volumes, and peak demand periods.
The health authority says it also calls in extra crews during times of peak volume, and they make other adjustments as needs-be.
Eastern Health is also in contact with other regional health authorities that are using vehicles other than ambulances. The vehicles are equipped with stretchers and are used to transport patients who have been discharged from hospital back home, avoiding the need to tie up an ambulance.