Thursday, March 7, 2013

** Winnipeg to roll out community paramedic program

** UK service to strike over plan to use field medics with only six weeks of training

CANADA NEWS

** Winnipeg is apparently getting community paramedics. That is the word from CBC News (March 6) which said the initiative will see the designated practitioners deal with non-emergency cases. According to the news service, the spring launch for the program will entail using medics in non transporting vehicles to treat patients whose conditions are deemed not to be urgent. A collaboration between Winnipeg EMS and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, the undertaking is aimed at freeing up paramedics for emergencies and alleviating ER crunches at hospitals.

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

** A plan to use emergency care assistants (ECAs) alongside field paramedics could see Yorkshire EMS responders strike. The BBC (March 6) said prehospital practitioners are currently voting on the matter. According to the news service, providers are concerned that the six week training course for ECAs stacks up poorly against the 2 year period of study required for paramedics. However, service spokesman Stephen Moir said the move was one based in economic reality. Over the next five years, Yorkshire’s EMS budget must find 46 million pounds in savings.