BCEHS says changes to paramedic staffing model will result in more paramedics for rural communities

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BC Emergency Health Services is introducing a new paramedic staffing model for rural and remote communities — a move they say will add 31 regular paramedic positions to communities in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

Paul Vallely, senior provincial executive director for BCEHS, presented details of the new scheduled on call (SOC) staffing model to the TNRD Board of Directors at their meeting on June 17.

Vallely told the board that the changes are a result of an agreement between BCEHS and the union for B.C. ambulance, paramedics and dispatchers.

“We're moving away from what has been a 46-year-old model heavily reliant on on call paramedics, really targeted to provide employment, and liveable wages and benefits for paramedics to help retain them in our smaller communities across the province,” Vallely said.

Under the new staffing model, paramedics in rural communities will work three days on followed by three days off. Vallely said they will receive eight hours per day of paid, guaranteed work attending emergency calls and performing community paramedicine work, among other duties.

After their regular work hours, paramedics will be on call for 16 hours. They will be paid a stipend of $2 per hour, with additional pay for any 911 calls they attend.

Vallely said they expect to see 500 regular paramedic positions being created across the province, including 230 part time and 270 full time roles.

According to BCEHS, there will be seven new full time paramedics stationed in Merritt, and four in Chase.

Clearwater, Clinton, Barriere, Ashcroft, Logan Lake and Lytton will also be getting more paramedics working under the SOC model.

Vallely told the Board of Directors that the previous on-call staffing model had contributed to “paramedic migration,” as staff looked to transfer to larger communities.

The old model saw on-call paramedics provide their availability to BCEHS. Staff were paid on the basis of which calls they attended in addition to a $2 per stipend while on call.

Vallely said some on-call paramedics hold down multiple jobs to try and make ends meet, which in turn reduces the amount of hours they are available for paramedic work.

“Without regular and predictable income and jobs for paramedics in rural and remote B.C., we have a challenge to keep and retain paramedics in smaller communities,” Vallely said.

Director Linda Brown, also the mayor of Merritt, told Vallely the new system would “increase our services greatly,” although she said she would like to see more full-time positions created.

“This is a far better system from where we came from. And I think it does enhance recruitment and retention,” Brown said.

However, some directors said they were concerned that ambulance coverage for their communities wouldn’t improve under the new system, with paramedics working long hours for three days on shift.

Stephen Quinn, director for Electoral Area B, said the Blue River ambulance gets dispatched everywhere when ambulances are short.

Quinn said the ambulance will cover Barriere, Clearwater and has even completed patient transfers between McBride and Prince George.

“These are not little distances these people have to travel. So what happens when our ambulance is gone, and there’s an accident, and a need for it. I haven’t heard anything that would make me feel better,” Quinn said.

Vallely said as the new scheduled on call model is being implemented, they will be making changes to their dispatch priorities, trying to retain ambulances in the community as much as possible.

He said ambulance resources in Kamloops have also been increased to help prevent the draw of small community ambulances out of their area.

However, he said it’s important people understand that BCEHS is a provincial service, with no fixed boundaries.

This ensures that, in the event of a major incident, there will be ambulance coverage.

“We aren’t limited in our ability to respond, because we will bring the closest ambulances from the surrounding area to respond to that,” Vallely said.

According to Vallely, the new SOC staffing model is expected to roll out in November 2021.