News Release
Ambulance Service Announcement
April 20, 2006
Ambulance services to be consolidated under new public-sector company (06/04/20)
April 20, 2006
FREDERICTON (CNB) - Land, air and dispatch ambulance services will be consolidated under a new public-sector company to ensure that New Brunswickers, no matter where they live, have access to the same high-quality pre-hospital care, Health Minister Brad Green announced today.
"Placing all ambulance services under a single public-sector company will provide us with the greatest opportunity to improve ambulance services through enhanced training for ambulance personnel, standardized response times, 24/7 on-site coverage, and standardized consistency of care," Green said. "This is why government has decided to move forward with a single-operator system."
Green said that the main features of the provincial service will include:
Enhanced training for ambulance personnel. New entrants will be required to train as primary-care paramedics to provide basic life support such as defibrillation and some symptom-relief medications, and to perform interventions to treat cardiac and respiratory emergencies. Advanced life-support training will be available so that paramedics can perform critical interventions such as intubation, and administer IV medications to treat allergic reactions and diabetic emergencies.
Standardized response times for emergency calls will be established - nine minutes 90 per cent of the time for urban areas, and within 25 minutes 90 per cent of the time for rural areas.
24/7 on-site ambulance coverage. On-call coverage will gradually be eliminated, and ambulance stations will be staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
Standardized consistency of care will be provided throughout the province. This will be achieved through centralized medical direction, and Green said that his department is currently recruiting a provincial medical director to lead this process.
At present, land-ambulance service in New Brunswick is delivered through 54 separate service contracts held by 39 different contractors, including for-profit operators, Regional Health Authorities, municipalities, non-profit organizations and First Nations. Air-ambulance service is also contracted to a private sector company.
Green said that consolidation of all ambulance-service operations was outlined in the Provincial Health Plan, Healthy Futures, and is driven by the desire to offer high-quality ambulance services throughout New Brunswick.
Last summer the Department of Health issued a request for proposals for the design of an enhanced ambulance system. Medavie Blue Cross and wholly owned subsidiary Emergency Medical Care Inc. were selected to design a detailed plan that included, among other things, improved skills training for ambulance personnel and standardized response times.
The request for proposals contained an option for government to enter into negotiations with the design company to implement and operate a provincial ambulance service.
Green said that government has now entered into contract negotiations with Medavie Blue Cross to implement the new design model and to manage the day-to-day operations of the provincewide ambulance system.
"It is government's intention that the day-to-day operator be compensated on a performance-based contract, meaning that it will have to meet a series of benchmarks, such as achieving established response times, in order to be paid," Green said.
Green said that Medavie Blue Cross will negotiate buy-out agreements for private for-profit operators who now hold ambulance service contacts.
As for paramedics now working in the system, Green said he expects all current paramedics will have jobs with the new public-sector company if they want them.
"Under the model being implemented, all paramedics would become public employees," Green said.
Green said he hopes to have the day-to-day operator in place shortly, although it is expected to take between 12 and 18 months before all existing ambulance services are consolidated under a single company.
In 2006-07, government has budgeted $63.9 million for ambulance services, an increase of $13 million - or more than 25 per cent - compared to 2005-06.
"Clearly, this shows that government is committed to moving forward with a single operator system that will provide an enhanced level of care for New Brunswickers," Green said.
