Kelowna will see the addition of 16 new permanent full-time paramedic positions, an additional four paramedics will be added in West Kelowna and two paramedics added in Lake Country.
The increased resources are part of an ongoing commitment by the Ministry of Health, the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) and BCEHS to add to the number of permanent paramedic positions and improve ambulance services in urban, rural and remote areas of B.C.
“People want to know their BC Ambulance service will be there when they need it,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix. “As the central Okanagan continues to grow and thrive, these new positions will ensure paramedics can provide emergency care when people need it the most, and improve the health system as a whole.”
As part of the BCEHS Action Plan, Kelowna and surrounding communities were identified as a priority in the ongoing review of where services are most needed to improve patient care.
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 added since 2017.
“Paramedic services are essential to high-quality emergency care,” said Linda Lupini, executive vice president of BCEHS and PHSA. “These additional full-time paramedic positions will enhance the care of patients in Kelowna 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
