AUMA statement on AHS changes to municipal 911 dispatch
Earlier this week, Alberta Health Services announced that EMS 911 dispatch services will be consolidated across the province, taking away dispatch centres operated by four AUMA member municipalities: Calgary, Lethbridge, Red Deer, and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. These four municipally-run EMS dispatch sites have provided reliable, efficient EMS dispatch services for decades, with response times at or below provincial benchmarks.
We share the Government of Alberta’s commitment to the delivery of effective, efficient, and accessible EMS services for Albertans, but two aspects of this sudden announcement are concerning.
1) We need more information about the impact of consolidation on response times.
While we understand a move toward efficiency, we have not seen data to indicate that response times will not be negatively impacted. Monetary savings should not be the main driver of this decision. A delay in response times, even of a few seconds, will cost lives and erode trust in the system.
2) We are frustrated by the lack of consultation.
We are extremely disappointed with the lack of consultation both by the provincial government in making this announcement and their consultant, Ernst & Young, who failed to consult with municipalities during their comprehensive review process. Due to a lack of consultation in 2007, the first time ambulance dispatch was consolidated, significant issues arose. The transition had to be paused, which resulted in ambulance service delays and project cost overruns. Municipal engagement and consultation are critical to ensuring that changes to provincial policies and programs are successfully implemented.
This announcement caught us, and our four impacted member municipalities, by surprise. Substantive changes should not occur in a vacuum or without consulting stakeholders. The mayors of Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo made every effort to communicate with the provincial government, as they outlined in their media conference on August 5 (view part 1, part 2, and part 3). It is unfortunate that these collaborative efforts were not returned by the Government of Alberta.
Albertans will measure the success of this change not by the dollars saved, but by any changes to EMS services and response times. We urge the Minister of Health to rethink this decision and keep EMS dispatch located in the communities.
We wish to work with the Government of Alberta to provide the most efficient and effective system of EMS response that best serves those in need and saves lives. As we stated last month, a real commitment by the provincial government to collaborate with AUMA and its membership is the only way forward to rebuild the prosperity of our communities and our province.
Please direct media inquiries to:
communications [at] auma.ca (subject: media%20inquiry) (Carla Putnam Kerr)
Communications Manager, AUMA
780-668-2436
