Re “Ambulance response time appalling,” St. Albert Gazette, March 26:
I have been actively working in the health care system throughout the multitude of changes that started with the Klein government in 1993 and the destructive results of his slash-and-burn approach is still rippling today throughout the entire province.
Thank you to Raj Sherman for finally speaking out, as this government will not listen unless they are publicly confronted. Numerous petitions were ignored at the time of these changes. If this government had a plan, I could have been convinced and could have respected that. However, I have not seen a plan and the continuum of care promised, nor has the improvement of health services in any sector materialized. It has gone downhill in a big way!
The reactionary actions to fix transportation has resulted in wait times and the poor usage of resources based on poor research and understanding of the needs of each sector. Waiting 40 minutes for the ambulance in any emergency could make the difference between life and death. On whose conscience would that fall? I am glad that Jan Moran is OK — it is your fortune that she is or who would accept the responsibility for this flagrant incident?
The paramedics and staff manning the ambulances provide a great service. I recently experienced one of these myself and have nothing but gratitude and thanks for the competent, caring and efficient service that we received. I am happy to hear that we are receiving another ambulance in St. Albert, however we also know that it will be called away when needed in another locale.
Decentralizing ambulances was a bad idea. When the province got rid of the EMT service, they reduced the effectiveness of 911 emergency calls because now the same highly trained and specialized teams are responding to all ambulance calls. We need accountability and the inclusion of system input to get it right.
Cecile Bulva, St. Albert
