(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Workforce Planning Task Force Created

Funding received for new “temporary” paramedic positions in Alberta

Aug 31, 2021 | 11:30 AM

EMS departments across the province are getting a boost, one the provincial government hopes will help to stabilize staffing levels.

100 positions will be funded by AHS at a cost of approximately $8.3-million.

That includes transitioning 70 casual positions in all AHS zones to temporary full-time. As well, 30 temporary full-time jobs in the Calgary and Edmonton Zones will be continued.

“Our paramedics play an important role in health care, and this investment provides stability of funding so they can continue to provide high-quality patient care to Albertans who need it,” says AHS President and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu.

A Workforce Planning Task Force has been established to ensure the filling of positions is done as quickly as possible with many postings already made public.

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Darren Sandbeck, Chief Paramedic and Senior Provincial Director for AHS EMS, says they want to be able to manage the increased levels of 911 calls recently while not overburdening current members.

“This will allow EMS to hire new casual staff and to return to using our casual positions for their intended purpose, such as providing short term and temporary relief for paramedics who are off on sick time or taking vacation time.”

Meanwhile, officials with the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) describe the announcement as a mixed news story for Albertans.

“HSAA is happy 70 casual paramedics will now be getting the benefits that we have been calling for since the beginning of the pandemic,” said HSAA President and Advanced Care Paramedic, Mike Parker, in a press release. “I am also pleased funding has been extended to keep 30 full-time paramedics on our streets and in our communities.”

“While this funding is important to bolster and maintain 100 already existing positions, it doesn’t actually add a single paramedic to our overburdened health system,” continues Parker.

“It doesn’t solve the issue of not having enough members hired. Every shift is being run short. Without hiring more new paramedics, the current government continues to put the system, our members, and every Albertan needing urgent medical care, at risk.”

Parker concluded, “We need Alberta Health Services to hire more paramedics immediately. This announcement does nothing to overcome the hiring crisis affecting emergency medical services, or AHS in general.”

Pre-pandemic, there were about 1,095 calls to 911 every day. Currently, that has gone up to an average of 1,521 per day.

(With files from rdnewsNOW)