Paramedic staffing changes questioned

WATCH: Could the health of seriously ill patients be put at risk by staffing changes at the B.C. Ambulance Service? Ted Cherencki explains.

If you or a loved one were having a heart attack or stroke, you would be best served by an ambulance that has the words “Advanced Life Support Unit” written on the side.

They have better equipment and more highly-trained staff, but there are only 10 of them in Metro Vancouver and now they could be dispatched to a minor call where they cannot leave the patient.

“You know it’s a Band-Aid solution for a bigger problem and the bigger problem is a lack of resources,” said Bronwyn Barter, President of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. Union. “That’s ideally what we need.”

B.C.’s Emergency Health Services say this is nothing new. The policy has been around for more than a decade, although it is rarely used.

“It’s absolutely business as usual,” said Executive Vice President, PHSA & BCEHS Linda Lupini. “There’s nothing new that’s taken place. If there are any new changes to our service delivery model or anything else we do to optimize resources, that would come as a result  from evidence we gather through the…study. That has not happened yet. We’ll look at that when we have a final report.”

WATCH: New BC ambulance changes

The union claims dispatchers were notified last week that they would have to send overqualified paramedics to minor calls more often. It believes it’s part of a major review by a UK company commissioned by BC Ambulance to look for ways to maximize resources.

“Basically, you want the highest level of training if you’re having a heart attack,” said Barter. “What’s happening is if you’re having a heart attack, they might be tied up on another call, a minor call.”

The union says there was a time when two ambulances arrived to a call: one basic care, one advanced. After assessing the patient, the advanced care unit was usually cancelled and returned into service. Those days appear long gone.

-With files from Ted Chernecki