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QUÉBEC CITY, March 29, 2018 – As part of the measures implemented to improve the efficiency of ambulance services following the funding granted in fall 2017, today, Gaétan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services, announced that ambulance coverage will be expanded in seven health regions in Québec.
Of these seven health regions, six of them (Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Estrie, Chaudière-Appalaches, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec and the Laurentides) will benefit from the conversion of certain standby shifts into hourly shifts. This change in the type of coverage represents an additional investment of $17.1 million that will intensify ambulance presence in the targeted areas. Each converted unit represents approximately $812,000 in funding.
In the Lanaudière region, the Saint-Michel-des-Saints sector will keep its standby coverage, but will be granted 98 additional hours per week for 24/7 service coverage, for the amount of $845,000. This ambulance service zone will therefore have two ambulances with 24/7 service on a standby shift and an hourly shift. The Manawan sector will be granted an on-site ambulance service and will benefit from over $1.2 million in funding.
The Lévis sector will gain an additional 24/7 ambulance, which translates into 168 hours of service per week and which will resolve night time coverage in particular. This addition represents a $1.4 million investment for the year 2018-2019.
Quote:
These improvement measures join those already announced in the fall and aim to provide an increased presence of pre-hospital emergency vehicles in several regions where they are necessary to better meet the population’s needs. Our goal remains to optimize ambulance coverage throughout Québec and to reorganize services so that they are fully aligned with the new studies conducted over the last few months.
– Gaétan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services
Key facts:
The following sectors will benefit from the conversion of standby shifts to hourly shifts:
- Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine: Paspébiac (2 shifts), Carleton (2) and Chandler (2);
- Estrie: Richmond (1);
- Chaudière-Appalaches: Armagh (1), Saint-Flavien (1) and Lac-Etchemin (1);
- Bas-Saint-Laurent: Sayabec (1), Amqui (1), Mont-Joli (2), Rivière-du-Loup (1) and Saint-Fabien (1);
- Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec: Plessisville (2), Ste-Thècle and Manseau (1);
- Laurentides: Ferme-Neuve (1).
This upgrade is designed to improve ambulance services and will enter into force on April 1, 2018. It will act as a supplement to the $9.6 million investment announced in October 2017 and the $28.2 million investment announced in November 2017. These included the conversion of standby shifts to hourly shifts in several sectors, particularly in: Rouyn-Noranda, Val-d’Or, Cowansville, Thetford Mines, Sept-Îles, Baie-Comeau, Ormstown, Oka, Saint-Pamphile, Saint-Paulin, Lotbinière, Waterloo, Louiseville, Saint-André-Avellin, Gracefield, Maniwaki, Grenville and Lacolle.
