Ambulance service plan 2023

A jump in emergency ambulance calls in Trenton has resulted in a call for more funding to provide the service.

The Hastings-Quinte Emergency Services Committee received a report Wednesday on the Paramedic Services – Response Time Plan for 2023.

Chief of Paramedic Services Carl Bowker assured the committee that there would be no increase in the cost for next year, despite the increase in calls.

The report indicated the response times are impacted by such factors as call volumes, deployment plans, offload delays and staffing needs.

Committee member Belleville Councillor Chris Malette said, “I understand just in the past year or 18 months we had quite a bit of negotiation as I understand with BGH in particular to help reduce that offload bottleneck, if you will. Keep our ambulances on the road rather than sidelining at BGH emergency.”

A review of current performance has been conducted and Bowker indicated there would be no changes in response times in 2023.

“No nothing will change at Belleville General Hospital. It will still be 12 hours seven days a week. This is new funding that we’re talking about. We’re making an application for Trenton. Belleville is almost a bit of renewal.”

Bowker also noted, “The (ambulance at hospital) offload times in Bancoft and Prince Edward County are the best in the province.”

Statistics reported to the committee:

Mid-Year 2022

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Defibrillator on-scene 35% of time within 6 min. 30%

CTAS 1

Paramedic on-scene 50% of the time within 8 min. 49%

CTAS 2

Paramedic on-scene 65% of the time within 10 min. 65%

CTAS 3

Paramedic on-scene 65% of the time within 15 min. 80%

CTAS 4

Paramedic on-scene 65% of the time within 20 min. 90%

CTAS 5

Paramedic on-scene 65% of the time within 25 min. 97%