The union representing paramedics is calling for more support from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), after it provided incorrect information about EMS staffing levels last week.
During an incident on Oct. 25, no ambulances were available to immediately to respond to an emergency involving a child in Regina.
In a statement to CTV News last week, the SHA said Regina EMS was fully staffed on Oct. 25 with 11 ambulances, but they experienced a period of higher than normal call volumes.
The Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS), which represents Regina EMS staff, disputed that claim in a news release Friday.
HSAS stated Regina EMS was down one ambulance on Oct. 25 due to not having enough paramedics on shift. The SHA’s statement to media was later corrected in an email to EMS staff, but the correction was not shared publicly.
In the email obtained by CTV News, Glen Perchie, the SHA’s EMS director, told staff the information provided to media in the SHA’s initial statement was from Oct. 26 when they were fully staffed, not from the day of the incident on Oct. 25.
“The SHA needs to come forward and be transparent about this to show that indeed there are some issues here around understaffing and ambulances not being able to be on the road, because of understaffing,” HSAS president Karen Wasylenko said in an interview Friday.
The SHA did not correct the information that was first provided to the media until CTV News contacted them about the EMS union’s press release.
“The information provided in the initial response was ambulances in service on October 26, 2022. On October, 25, 2022, there were 10 ambulances available instead of 11,” the SHA said in the statement.
“We apologize for the error.”
'NO UNITS AVAILABLE'
The situation on Oct. 25 highlighted the ongoing pressure felt by paramedics across Saskatchewan.
In radio recordings obtained by CTV News from an independently-verified anonymous source, a Regina Police Service officer can be heard paging for an ambulance from the SHA Medical Communication and Coordination Centre. The communication centre alerted the officer that none were available.
“We have a…conscious, alert [child] that’s going to need medical attention,” the police officer said in one page.
The communication centre responded by saying “just be advised we have no units available. Lots of calls holding. We’ll get to this when we can.”
In another page, the officer said “we’re going to need you hot as it is more urgent.”
The communication centre responded “still no units available.”
CTV News omitted age and gender of the child that were included in the recordings for privacy.
A spokesperson with the Regina Police Service confirmed it was one of its officers who made the call for EMS to attend the scene, but eventually cancelled the request after further assessment of the situation.
A call that matched the recordings was confirmed by the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The request came in to the centre at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday. An ambulance was dispatched about five minutes later before Regina police cancelled the call at 2:57 p.m.
The SHA said when EMS is experiencing high call volumes, the communications and coordination centre follows certain protocols based on emergency type and location. Dispatchers use information provided by callers to assess a patient’s state to make sure those requiring urgent care will receive it as quickly as possible with the given resources.
In Regina, the SHA said it staffs between six and 11 ambulances during a 24 hour period depending on call volumes and peak hours. In Saskatoon, the contracted ambulance company Medavie staffs between nine and 14.
ONGOING SHORTAGES
There are currently 15 unfilled vacancies for advanced care paramedics in Regina, according to the HSAS press release.
The HSAS also provided a snapshot of ambulance service from Nov. 3, stating Regina EMS was down eight staff members which resulted in four of 11 ambulance units being out of service at different times throughout the day.
HSAS president Karen Wasylenko said the SHA needs to focus on recruiting and provide more incentives, including higher wages, to try to bring in and retain staff.
“These are high level stressful jobs for these individuals. So that's what they need. And right now they don't feel supported,” she said. “They're overworked. They're putting [in] long days and hours covering off for something where there are many, many vacancies and that's in Regina and throughout the province.”
The SHA said it is working with the Ministry of Health on a multi-year EMS stabilization plan to address staffing issues in several rural communities in the province.
With files from CTV News Regina's Stefanie Davis
