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Dufferin paramedic chief ‘clarifies’ CTV’s damaging W5 report

October 19, 2016   ·   0 Comments

A recent report on Canada’s Paramedic Services by the CTV program W5 with investigative reporter Kevin Newman may have damaged citizens’ confidence in the emergency response system (9-1-1) in Ontario, but Tom Reid, chief of the Dufferin County Paramedic Service, was “grateful for the opportunity to provide accurate information and clarify the information provided in the episode” that aired October 8th.

CTV’s Kevin Newman reported that calling 9-1-1 “does not guarantee” that Emergency Response Services (EMS) “can do all in their power” to save a patient. He said the first responders currently have different “restrictive levels of care” that they can provide according to their training category under Ontario regulations, and that citizens were playing “Russian Roulette” when they called 9-1-1.

The three categories of paramedic care Mr. Newman referred to in the report are Primary, Advanced and Critical Care.

Mr. Newman reported that Primary Care paramedics are limited in the drugs they can administer to patients and cannot perform intubations; Advanced Care paramedics can provide a wide variety of drugs and perform intubations, and Critical Care paramedics can essentially offer the same treatment as a doctor.

In response, Mr. Reid said:

“Firstly, Ontario is the pre-eminent jurisdiction in Canada for paramedic services. Paramedics in Ontario have the highest standards for education and training in Canada. All Paramedics employed in the Province of Ontario are highly skilled and intensively trained to respond to the health emergencies of our community members.  Paramedicine is a highly regulated profession. Paramedics are directly regulated by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care under the Ambulance Act which outlines standards of practice.”

He added, “When it comes to the paramedic profession, every paramedic must meet numerous and rigorous criteria established by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in order to maintain their certification. This includes annual demonstrated use of high-risk skills, complete continued medical education (CME), and various evaluations.  This education and evaluation is completed by Dufferin County Paramedic Service and by an independent regulatory body referred to as a regional base hospital program. 

“In Dufferin County, the base hospital is the Centre for Paramedic Education and Research which is operated by Hamilton Health Sciences and the medical director is Dr. Michelle Welsford.”

He said it  is “important for our community to know, in the case of an emergency, people should call 9-1-1.  During a health emergency, 9-1-1 is the most successful way to achieve a positive outcome.  Paramedics are equipped with the knowledge and resources to save lives. Call 9-1-1 first and call fast.

“The closest ambulance will respond to deliver the care necessary.  Regardless of what level of paramedic is sent to the emergency, all paramedics in the County of Dufferin are trained to assess and care for a wide range of critical health care scenarios.  By calling 9-1-1, you can be assured that you will be treated quickly and appropriately and transported to the most appropriate health care facility.  For example, if you are having a heart attack, paramedics have the ability to transport you directly to a specialized cardiac centre where you will receive the gold standard of care.”

Mr. Reid said the story that aired on W-5 “has been an incredible opportunity to talk about the work that our Paramedic professionals provide, while instilling confidence in the public that they can rely and depend on the robust Paramedic services and the medical oversight provided by hospitals and health care centres. 

“At the end of the day, our work is about supporting a safe, healthy community and saving lives. We are always focused on ensuring that our community members feel supported and safe in the knowledge that in any emergency, calling 9-1-1 is the best option in receiving the quickest and most optimal care.”

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