Sault hiring more paramedics as calls for service spike
Sault Ste. Marie's social services board has approved a plan to hire 10 new paramedics. The move is in response to a sharp increase in the number of calls to the city's paramedic services in recent months.
Robert Rushworth, chief of paramedic services, said he hasn't seen this much of an increase in calls for the service in the last 20 years. He said it's a trend being seen everywhere, with a number of factors driving it.
"There's the mental health side of it, there's the opioid crisis, there's the need for medical care in the community, there is limited resources, we have the one emergency department," said Rushworth. He said the 10 paramedics will be hired at a cost of roughly $1.3 million.
Doesn't fully address problem
City Coun. Sandra Hollingsworth, who is also a registered nurse, said she applauds hiring more paramedics. But, Hollingsworth said it doesn't address the whole problem -- namely a lack of resources in hospital emergency rooms.
"How many staff members do they have? Do they have the capacity to accept these patients from the paramedics? You might be overloading again the ER with more patients coming," she said.
She said a short-staffed emergency room poses problems for paramedics, since they can't simply drop off the patient and go to another call.
"It could take a half an hour, it could take an hour or more," she said. "Basically that paramedic cannot go to another call until that patient is in the care of the emergency room staff member."
Hollingsworth is calling on the Ministry of Health to provide more support to overwhelmed hospital emergency departments. For his part, Rushworth said the new paramedics will provide relief to current staff who have had a particularly busy summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.