(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)
September 18, 2018 - 10:28 AM
KAMLOOPS - Kamloops and nearby communities will be seeing more emergency medical service personnel in the future.
The B.C. Emergency Health Services announced in a media release today, Sept. 18, that 21 new paramedic positions are coming to Kamloops and Chase.
Along with the 18 full-time paramedics for Kamloops, the city will get two more ambulances. In Chase, three full-time paramedic positions will be added to provide regular staffing seven days a week.
Emergency Health Services does not say when the paramedics will be hired or how long it will take to hire the new recruits.
The announcement was made by the Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Services Authority and the B.C. Emergency Health Services in an effort to increase the number of permanent paramedic positions and improve ambulance services in urban, rural and remote areas of the province, the release states.
“We are committed to improving healthcare in all regions of B.C.,” Health Minister Adrian Dix says in the release. “By increasing the full-time paramedic positions in Kamloops and Chase and adding additional ambulances, we are strengthening the emergency services the community depends on, ensuring paramedics will be there when people need them.”
Kamloops and area was identified by the province as an area of top priority to improve services and patient care.
Emergency Health Services has also created 22 paramedic positions in Kelowna.
Officials say a total of 43 new full-time positions have been announced for the Thompson-Okanagan and a total of 72 paramedic positions have been created in B.C. this past year.
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