Eighteen full-time paramedics will be hired in Kamloops and two ambulances will be added. In Chase, three full-time paramedic positions will be added to provide regular staffing seven days a week.
The increased resources are part of an ongoing commitment by the Ministry of Health, the Provincial Health Services Authority and BCEHS to increase the number of permanent paramedic positions and improve ambulance services in urban, rural and remote areas of B.C.
“We are committed to improving health care in all regions of BC,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix. “By increasing the full-time paramedic positions in Kamloops and Chase and adding additional ambulances, we are strengthening the emergency services the community depends on, ensuring paramedics will be there when people need them.”
As part of the
BCEHS Action Plan, the Kamloops area was identified as being a priority in the ongoing review of where services are most needed to improve patient care.
BCEHS is also adding 22 paramedics for Kelowna and surrounding area for a total of 43 new full-time positions being announced this month in the Thompson-Okanagan region. During the past year, 72 new regular paramedic positions have been created in B.C. This is in addition to dozens of community paramedic and specialized paramedic positions that have been added since 2017.
“BCEHS is focussing its efforts on areas of the province where additional paramedic services are needed the most," said Linda Lupini, Executive Vice President of BCEHS and PHSA. “These extra full-time positions will enhance the paramedic services we provide to the residents of Kamloops and surrounding areas."
Paramedics and the communities they serve benefit from additional full-time jobs with regularly scheduled hours, consistent pay and benefits. The new paramedic positions will be awarded based on the hiring standards in the CUPE 873 Collective Agreement with BCEHS.
BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) is responsible for the delivery and governance of pre-hospital emergency medical care and inter-facility patient transfer services through the BC Ambulance Service and the BC Patient Transfer Service. BCEHS is supported by the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). For more information, please visit www.bcehs.ca or follow us on Twitter @BC_EHS.
The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates selected specialty and province-wide health care services across BC, working with the five geographic health authorities to deliver province-wide solutions that improve the health of British Columbians. For more information, visit www.phsa.ca or follow us on Twitter @PHSAofBC.
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Fatima Siddiqui, BCEHS Communications Officer
Phone: 604.660.2185
or PHSA Media Line: 778.867.7472
