October 17, 2022 at 5:00 PM
Ontario's Ministry of Health (MOH) has submitted a proposal to make amendments to its 1990 Ambulance Act. The amendment would see enabling a mixed crew configuration onboard Ornge aircraft.
The summary proposal states:
The Ministry is proposing to amend Ontario Regulation 257/00 made under the Ambulance Act, 1990 (General) to permit air ambulance operators to employ nurses, physicians, and respiratory therapists along with paramedics to provide patient care to enable staffing flexibility for interfacility patient transports, while maximizing the availability of air ambulance resources.
To read the entire submission, please click here.
The proposed changes to the Act will not improve patient outcomes. It will not save lives, restore health, create capacity, or preserve dignity; components of Ornge's strategic plan to save lives in the province of Ontario.
To be clear Ornge's current practice of utilizing two (2) Critical Care Paramedics does provide the best patient outcomes and is the best value for Ontario taxpayers.
In an email sent to Ornge employees on October 14, 2022, Ornge President and CEO, Dr. Homer Tien expressed his support for these changes.
Although it is not clear what the immediate impact could be to our members at Ornge, the integrity of the bargaining unit is in question. Unifor Local 2002, and Unifor National will not stand by idly while these changes are pushed through at the expense of our hard-working members, while degrading the level of care currently being provided. At the moment, there has not been a violation of the collective agreement, but we will be watching and prepared to act if required.
Ontario's healthcare system continues to be on the brink of collapse, and the proposed changes to the Ambulance Act at this time will only exacerbate the issue, and has the potential for a total collapse of Ontario's healthcare system.
Doctor and nurse shortages continue to plague our hospitals. For months there have been emergency room department closures across the province, with ambulances placed in offload areas with delays often exceeding 8 hours. This leaves communities without readily available emergency services, potentially costing lives.
The "suggestion" to take doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals away from current areas and utilize them for the purpose of a mixed-crew aircraft configuration will only intensify the shortages being experienced across the province.
Your Unifor Bargaining Committee has been working diligently over the past few years, not only to address the shortage of staff at Ornge, but to explore creative ways to recruit, retain, and address the ongoing staffing issue. The Committee continually thinks about the big picture and has proposed progressive and proactive solutions to Ornge. However, time and time again, these proposals have been met with resistance, and a lack of willingness on the part of the Ornge management team to initiate and implement the suggestions being brought forward to improve the level of care for all communities being served.
There is an Ornge sponsored town hall meeting scheduled tomorrow at 1200 eastern time. We strongly encourage all members to attend this meeting and voice your concerns over these proposed changes, and to show strength and solidarity with the bargaining committee.
The Unifor National office has provided a commitment to utilize all available channels to assist our members at Ornge, including, but not limited to, utilizing the political action committee, research, legal, and communications departments. Although submissions are due by Friday, the battle for our members is just beginning and we will continue to use ALL tools available to us.
It has been confirmed that Lana Payne, Unifor National President will be speaking to this issue in her upcoming meeting with Ontario Premier, Doug Ford.
Further updates will be provided as they become available.
In Solidarity,
Your Unifor-Ornge Bargaining Committee
Mark Etherington, Chairperson
Keith Simons, Northern Bases
Geoffrey Brown, Southern Bases
For more information, please contact a member of the Unifor-Ornge Bargaining Committee
/22-10-17 Ornge Changes to Ambulance Act EN.txt