BC changing staffing models, adding 271 new paramedics to improve rural ambulance services

Changes are coming in an attempt to improve ambulance service in rural and remote communities across British Columbia.

Health Minister Adrian Dix made the announcement in Victoria today, promising changes to staffing models and the addition of 271 new full-time paramedics.

The changes brought forward by the Province are based on recommendations made by BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) and the Ambulance Paramedics and Ambulance Dispatchers of BC.

“Today’s announcement by BCEHS is an important step toward providing more equitable access to care for people living in rural and remote communities, and better compensation and work environments for paramedics,” said Dix. “I commend the collaboration by BCEHS and CUPE 873 to make things better for paramedics who provide valuable, essential healthcare service to people in BC.”

The existing scheduled-on-call (SOC) staffing model will be phased out and replaced with one of three models better suited to matching the specific needs of individual communities.

The new models are:

• 21 communities to an “alpha” 24/7 model, which will provide more reliable 24/7 emergency response service. Communities moving to this model will have paramedics in the station on-duty three times more than with the existing model.
• 25 communities to a “mix shift” model, which will provide staff with more flexibility and better work/life balance. Communities moving to this model will have staff on-duty in the station twice as often as they do currently.
• 14 communities to a “kilo” model with a full-time permanent unit chief, which will offer more flexible staffing options to maximize local recruitment.

Leanne Heppell, BCEHS’ chief ambulance officer, said they’re excited to bring these staffing model improvements to paramedics in rural and remote BC communities.

“We recognize that one staffing model doesn’t work for all parts of the province, and these three models will help us improve our services to better meet the needs of the community and patients and enable more of our paramedics to live and work in their home communities,” she explained.

Other changes that will be introduced through these new models include:

• BCEHS will be available to support routine transfers in the late afternoon and evenings as needed.
• Paramedics will no longer need to work for 72 straight hours, as required in the SOC model.
• Paramedics will have a better work/life balance, which means that BCEHS will be better able to ensure all communities are covered, especially in the evenings.

“Everyone deserves to get reliable access to care, no matter where they live,” said Jennifer Rice, parliamentary secretary for rural health. “This announcement will go a long way in supporting rural and remote communities and will help ensure more equitable access to health care.”

According to the Province, more than 1,000 permanent full-time paramedic and emergency medical responder positions have been added in BC since 2017.