Wednesday, July 29, 2009

** New South Wales medics to don goggles and masks on all calls

** Retired BC journalist comes out in favour of medics in labour strike

AUSTRALIA NEWS

** In an effort to prevent medics from becoming infected with Swine Flu, the New South Wales Ambulance Service is mandating all practitioners wear face masks and goggles to calls. That is the word from the Australian Associated Press (July 28) which said the dictate will be followed on all responses, until medics rule out respiratory symptoms in patients. Along with the precaution, the service is also reassigning at risk pregnant officers. To date, the state has noted 3,648 confirmed H1N1 cases, though authorities are speculating that many more have gone unreported.

CANADA NEWS

** BC paramedics are gaining some big guns when it comes to support for their side in the EMS strike. According to a press release put out by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (July 27), well known retired journalist Harvey Oberfield has taken to TV and the Internet to urge the government to bring the labour dispute to an end. Oberfield, who maintains a blog, said forced overtime under essential services agreements is tantamount to slavery.  He also called for the appointment of an independent mediator. A former journalist for the Vancouver Sun, he is also known for his work with BC TV. Practitioners have been off the job since April 1. Along with increasing staffing, medics are driving for a reduction in response times which they say endanger patients.