Spurred by growing concern about paramedic shortages and gaps in service, three leaders from Haida Gwaii and Nuxalk Nation lobbied for solutions during a meeting with Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Leanne Heppell, executive vice president and chief ambulance officer at BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), on Aug. 3.
The province introduced a new paramedic staffing model for rural and remote communities in the fall of 2021, which they refer to as Scheduled on Call (SOC).
According to a BCEHS document posted online, the new model funded permanent full-time and part-time paramedic positions.
The document states that the previous “on-call” model relied on paramedics to work around other commitments without a guarantee of regular pay.
Kris Olsen, mayor of Daajing Giids (formerly Queen Charlotte), said that while he’s very excited Haida Gwaii communities will have permanent paramedic positions, they need answers for the interim before these positions are filled.
BC Emergency Health Services agreed to offer a $100 shift premium to on-call paramedics for five months to help bridge the gaps caused by the change, Olsen said. However, that agreement is due to expire soon.
“I really feel that they need to continue that shift premium until we have full paramedic services again within our municipality,” Olsen said during a Village of Daajing Giids council meeting on Aug. 15. “We had 100 per cent before, we don’t have it now.”
During a follow-up meeting that Olsen had with Heppell, he said BCEHS committed to working with the union to continue the shift premium.
