“One Size Fits All”: Paramedics in Northern British Columbia Strike Solution to Personnel Shortage | The Canadian News

Paramedics in northern British Columbia are criticizing a recent scheduling change, saying they can no longer support themselves financially and are concerned that more vacancies will hurt a provincial system that has already been depleted.

Sam, a veteran paramedic in Haida Gwaii, said they had to quit because they can no longer make enough of a living with the new programming model. Global News agreed to use a pseudonym for Sam to avoid retaliation from his former employer, BC Emergency Health Services.

“I think the crisis we are having right now is the result of (BCEHS) trying to fix it with a one-size-fits-all solution,” Sam told Global News.

Under the old model, paramedics on call in remote areas often had to work a second job to supplement their income, Sam said.

Both employers allowed them to use an ambulance locator at work when on call, leave to respond if necessary, and then return to their original shift.

On November 1, BCEHS introduced a new “scheduled watch” model specifically to address the shortage of paramedics, provide more consistent coverage, and improve recruitment and retention.

Now all positions are required to work three shifts and three shifts with no consistency from week to week, which, Sam said, prevents them from taking on that second job.

“Now we’ve had two code three calls that have gone unanswered,” they said. “It may not be this community, it may not even be this island, but someone is going to die.”

In a statement, BCEHS acknowledged that Haida Gwaii faces staff shortages and that 11 of the 16 new permanent part-time positions are still open.

“However, BCEHS is a provincial ambulance service without community borders. When we have unmanned ambulances, we have a system to dispatch ambulances from surrounding stations, ”the statement told Global News.

There are four stations on Haida Gwaii: at Masset, Queen Charlotte, Port Clements, and Sandspit. Travel time between Queen Charlotte and Port Clements, for example, is approximately 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, the agency said it will keep a “small group” of paramedics on duty to assist in specific areas.

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Paramedics holding scheduled guard positions on the island may also choose to pick up guard shifts in addition to their scheduled hours, and personnel from other parts of the province may come to Haida Gwaii temporarily to replace them, with local personnel being given. priority.

“Recruitment efforts are ongoing at Haida Gwaii. BCEHS continues to provide full support to paramedical personnel in Haida Gwaii and is coordinating with community leaders to respond to emergencies in the communities, ”the statement said.

Sam said they have spoken with paramedics from across the province, including those from Prince Rupert, Atlin and Vancouver Island, who have shared similar anxiety about the new system. They are also concerned that Haida Gwaii staff will retire before vacancies can be filled.

Troy Clifford, president of BC’s Paramedics and Ambulance Dispatchers Union, said the staffing model is being reviewed to determine if it is feasible before a new collective bargaining agreement is ratified in March.

Clifford said he does not believe there was adequate consultation between BCEHS and the communities before the scheduling change was made.

“A lot of the locals who have been filling (shifts) can’t commit to that new shift pattern. I think the ambulance service hoped that this would be the case, that the locals would take on this new shift pattern and nothing would change, ”he said.

He said the new “scheduled guard” model has proven problematic in smaller cities that are already struggling to recruit and retain staff.

“It is not just Haida Gwaii. We are seeing it in Atlin, some of the islands in the Gulf, I know that Galiano is having challenges and Cortez. Even in the Kootenays. A lot of these really remote communities just aren’t filling these positions, ”Clifford said.

“Historically, the way these communities (s) are covered depends on local people who are essentially willing to volunteer because there is not a lot of money in it. But that model is no longer sustainable. “

Ultimately, Sam said paramedics should get better compensation for on-call shifts in order for the new scheduling model to work.

“In no way, shape or form do I choose to leave the service. That choice was forced on me ”, they said.

“I’m going to miss it. I love this job. “