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For The Record

BC AMBULANCE SERVICE

June 1, 2009
Ministry of Health Services
 
Letters to the Editor
  • BC Ambulance Service budget rose 74 per cent in the past eight years – from $181 million in 2001/02 to an estimated $314 million in 2009/10, which includes anticipated recoveries from health authorities for patient transfers.
  • The BCAS fleet consists of 480 ambulances and 47 support vehicles across the province.  Since 2001/2002, BCAS has added 45 ambulances and 19 support vehicles to the service.
  • From 2003/04 to 2008/09 demand for services has increased by 20 percent. 
    Pre-hospital events have increased by 20 percent, from 312,000 to 372,400 and patient transfers between medical facilities have increased by 20 percent from 120,400 to 143,900. 
  • Since 2003/04, the number of full and part-time paramedics employed by the
    BC Ambulance Service has grown by 24.6 per cent - 3,471 in 2007/2008 compared to 2,785 then.
  • There has also been significant investment in the BCAS Air Ambulance Program. From 2001/02 to 2008/09 the budget for air ambulance services has increased by $20 million, or over 100 per cent. A dedicated transfer aircraft located in Kelowna was added in 2007/08.
  • The BCAS Air Ambulance Program transferred 8,682 patients in 2008/09 compared to 6,788 patients in 2001/02, an increase of 22 per cent.
  • In 2005, the BCAS implemented the 24/7 standby model in rural stations which resulted in a nine per cent improvement in response times.
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Letters to the Editor

October 17, 2008
Letter to the Editor
MORE FUNDING, MORE PARAMEDICS THAN EVER BEFORE
By George Abbott
Minister of Health Services
Submitted: Nanaimo Daily News
Status: Published October 21, 2008
I’d like to respond to G.A. Philio’s letter entitled “Ambulance sector needs more government funding”, dated October 17, 2008. [Read More]