Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Province plans on minimizing ambulance services from 52 to 10

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Paramedics across the province are shocked and looking for answers tonight, after learning the Ford government plans to amalgamate 52 EMS services into 10.

An emergency situation for emergency workers. Hamilton Paramedics Chief Michael Sanderson received what he is calling an out of the blue memo last night, advising that Ontario’s 52 ambulance services would be amalgamated into 10. It was confirmed today by the province’s health minister.

Its this patchwork that does not give much clarification, like how municipal boundaries will be determined. Paul Johnson, general manager of Healthy and Safe Communities in Hamilton says he does not have enough info yet to say whether the plan is good or bad.

Another big change is that paramedics will now decide on scene where they can take patients, with mental health and addictions support centres being an option.

Sanderson says being able to have paramedics decide where a patient goes is something they have been pushing for, for years.

In December of 2017, 19-year-old Yosef Al-Hasnawi died from a gunshot wound after paramedics took more than a half an hour to bring him to a local hospital, and not a trauma centre for treatment.

There are no timelines as to when more information will be given by the province.

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