More paramedics and dispatchers will be hired in B.C., health minister announces

More paramedics, dispatchers, and new ambulances are some of the changes Health MinisterAdrian Dixannounced on Wednesday after several paramedics told reportersthe system had failed during the deadly heat wave at the end of June.

Workers told CBC News that some dispatchers had more than 200 calls waiting for a responseand lower-priority calls were left unattended for anywhere from four to 16 hours.

On Wednesday, Dix said the B.C. Emergency Health Services board of directors has been tasked tosolely focus on ambulance services and look into what other changes can be made to improve the emergency systemto better support workers and those who rely on the service.

He said calls increased during the record-breaking heat wave, but paramedics were already under pressure from the overdose crisis.

"The events in the last few weeks make it clear that there's more work to be done," he said. "Our emergency health service system must work better to people who call upon it and those who answer the call for help."

• Paramedics call for action from employers, province over long wait times during heat wave

He appointed Jim Chu, former chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department, to chair the board which will directly report to Dix.

"Immediate action on operations, as well as stronger leadership and increased investment at B.C. Emergency Health Services, will deliver a more effective ambulance service for patients and families who depend on it. Better support for paramedics and dispatchers will help them do the vital work we count on every day."

Growing demand, challenges

Dix said the province is also funding 85 new full time paramedic positions, 20 full time dispatchers, and puttingin place 22 new ambulances while also converting 22 rural ambulance stations to provide service24/7.

He also announced plans for an additional 16 stations to be ready by October 2021.

There were716sudden and unexpected deathsrecorded during the historic heat wave, which broke more than 100 temperature records across the province. The B.C. Coroners Service saidthe extreme heat is believed to have played a significant role in many of those deaths.

• B.C. records 486 sudden deaths, almost triple the usual number, during heat wave

Paramedics and their union said the Ministry of Health and B.C. Emergency Health Services were ill-prepared.

In addition to Chu, Dix appointed Leanne Heppell to serve as the province's new interim chief ambulance officer. She has 20 years of experience in senior leadership at Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health and the B.C. Ambulance Service.

The province will also be addressing the concern that many staff are still on-call rather than full-time employees. Dix said greater support for employees will be given and more permanent full-time and part-time jobs will be offered to replace casual positions, especially in rural communities.

"When I became minister of health, about 36 per cent of ambulance paramedics were fullor part-time permanent staff," he said.

"By the time our changes are made, the ones that are proposed to be made, it'll be over 50 per cent," Dix said.

He also directed B.C. Emergency Health Services to contract a team of mental health and wellness professionals to directly work with dispatchers and paramedics to address stress and fatigue.

As part of the province's overhaul of the ambulance service, Dix also appointed Telus CEO Darren Entwistleas special adviser to the board.