The province has signed a ten-year contract with Island EMS which will cover the period between April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2017 with a possible annual extension over five additional years.
Over the period of March 31, 2006 to April 1 of next year, Island EMS is working to establish a centralized, province-wide ambulance service to analyse and determine current ambulance response times for Island communities. Over the next few months Island EMS will also negotiate a collective agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the successor union for Island paramedics.
The contract builds on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in January of this year. The contract is valued at $3,924,340.
Chester Gillan, Minister of Health, said, “We have been hearing very positive feedback on the quality of services offered through Island EMS. We are confident that our relationship will provide Islanders with highly effective paramedic emergency services for many years to come.”
George McLellan, President of Island EMS said, “Over the course of the ten-year contract, Island EMS will work closely with the Province of PEI to monitor the ambulance response system to determine what is working well and consider where service enhancements can be considered which will improve outcomes for patients from a pre-hospital perspective. We are looking at ensuring all systems operate at their maximum potential with ongoing training and quality improvement measures.”
This centralization of ambulance dispatch services is already providing improved response times and enhanced coordination with Fire Departments providing Medical First Responder services.
“With Island EMS, there is increased training for Island paramedics, improved first responder services, improved ambulance equipment, and improved ambulance service teamwork across the Island to ensure timely response," added Minister Gillan.
Medavie Blue Cross is the parent company which now has established ambulance services in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and is in the process of negotiating a contract for a similar province-wide ambulance system in New Brunswick. This effort is resulting in consistent emergency service protocols for the Maritimes and an improved ability to quickly coordinate emergency transportation both on and off the Island.