An Alberta family is outraged after they claim their elderly mother was refused a ride to the hospital via ambulance after a 911 call because of her unvaccinated status..Alberta Health Services (AHS) says it's investigating..A letter addressed to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith dated October 30, surfaced Sunday on Twitter..The letter tells the premier about a "very serious incident" which occurred the day after her apology to Albertans for being discriminated against because of vaccine status..According to the letter, on October 23, shortly before 8 a.m. an Albertan's elderly mother was experiencing dizziness, weakness, and a severe headache. The woman called 911 and waited 25 minutes for an ambulance to arrive..Her name has been withheld from the letter for privacy reasons..The letter then states, "... when the ambulance arrived, there were two paramedics on board. A female and male.".When the paramedics entered the house, the letter states they said, "What is the vaccination status of everyone in the house?".The letter also claims the paramedics demanded occupants of the house put on their masks.."His only concern should have been to focus on my mother, the patient who required emergent care," the letter said.."While the paramedic had no business asking, I explained none of us are vaccinated. I just wanted to bring the focus back to my mother's emergent care needs. The paramedic then went back to the ambulance to collect masks from my family to where the paramedic would not even step within 10 feet of my mother fortunately, my mother, the female, paramedic did perform a rudimentary assessment.".The letter continues to detail how the elderly foreign woman doesn't speak English fluently. The letter claims the paramedic forced the elderly woman to wear a mask along with the rest of her family who were present.."Another family member was so overwhelmed. They had to leave the room due to the paramedic's behavior and intrusive demands. The paramedic caused untold distress to our family during a time when he was supposed to be calming our concerns not causing them," the letter stated.."It is clear from this paramedic's behavior if anyone had been unable or had refused to wear a mask in our own house, he also would not have provided this critical emergency service, regardless of our vaccine status as my mother is unable to communicate adequately in English, even without the complications of her health emergency and also has hearing difficulties, my brother offered much-needed assistance to translate and to be with her in the ambulance. paramedic responded 'I will not be taking two unvaccinated in my van', I said my mother does not speak very good English and needs her designated support person to accompany her.".The letter claims the paramedic replied: "I will not be taking two unvaccinated in my van and putting myself at risk.".The author of the letter then claims he asked the paramedic if this was a policy and where he could find this in writing.."I will step out and call my supervisor," the paramedic said to the man..The letter then claims the paramedic came back inside and said, "He would not be providing transport to the hospital.".The letter claims the paramedic told the Albertan family he "was advised that I could decline the support based on their vaccination status.".The family claims they then pleaded with the paramedic that the woman needed a family member to translate English in the ambulance while being transported to the hospital. The family said in the letter the paramedic supervisor stated "the paramedic has the right to refuse based on their vaccine status if they feel unsafe.".The family would eventually have to transport their mother to the hospital themselves.."After transporting my mother to the hospital ourselves the emergency doctor said my mother had suffered a mini-stroke. My mother is devastated and scared. What will happen if she ever needs the hospital or 911 services again? We know from the hospital that having suffered this mini-stroke my mother is now at serious risk of subsequent mini or full stroke. In the event this happens minutes are critical to her survival," the letter said.."This event endangered the life of my disabled immigrant mother who was discriminated against due to her language based on her immigrant background and her vaccine status this is not just a human rights violation. This is also clearly willful negligence endangering life.".Kerry Williamson, an AHS spokesperson, said in an email to the Western Standard, "There is no AHS policy that allows for refusal of patient care based on vaccination status."."AHS received an inquiry to our Patient Relations department, and we will be investigating the event in question and reaching out to the family to better understand what occurred," Williamson said..Williamson noted it's not clear if the concerns relate to a patient or others accompanying the patient, or if they relate to vaccination status vs someone having the infection itself..None of the claims from the letter have been proven, but AHS is investigating.."There might be limits put on access for others in specific circumstances that would not be put on a patient," Williamson said.."We also encourage people to contact the AHS Patient Relations team if they have concerns about their care, or the care of a family member or loved one."
An Alberta family is outraged after they claim their elderly mother was refused a ride to the hospital via ambulance after a 911 call because of her unvaccinated status..Alberta Health Services (AHS) says it's investigating..A letter addressed to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith dated October 30, surfaced Sunday on Twitter..The letter tells the premier about a "very serious incident" which occurred the day after her apology to Albertans for being discriminated against because of vaccine status..According to the letter, on October 23, shortly before 8 a.m. an Albertan's elderly mother was experiencing dizziness, weakness, and a severe headache. The woman called 911 and waited 25 minutes for an ambulance to arrive..Her name has been withheld from the letter for privacy reasons..The letter then states, "... when the ambulance arrived, there were two paramedics on board. A female and male.".When the paramedics entered the house, the letter states they said, "What is the vaccination status of everyone in the house?".The letter also claims the paramedics demanded occupants of the house put on their masks.."His only concern should have been to focus on my mother, the patient who required emergent care," the letter said.."While the paramedic had no business asking, I explained none of us are vaccinated. I just wanted to bring the focus back to my mother's emergent care needs. The paramedic then went back to the ambulance to collect masks from my family to where the paramedic would not even step within 10 feet of my mother fortunately, my mother, the female, paramedic did perform a rudimentary assessment.".The letter continues to detail how the elderly foreign woman doesn't speak English fluently. The letter claims the paramedic forced the elderly woman to wear a mask along with the rest of her family who were present.."Another family member was so overwhelmed. They had to leave the room due to the paramedic's behavior and intrusive demands. The paramedic caused untold distress to our family during a time when he was supposed to be calming our concerns not causing them," the letter stated.."It is clear from this paramedic's behavior if anyone had been unable or had refused to wear a mask in our own house, he also would not have provided this critical emergency service, regardless of our vaccine status as my mother is unable to communicate adequately in English, even without the complications of her health emergency and also has hearing difficulties, my brother offered much-needed assistance to translate and to be with her in the ambulance. paramedic responded 'I will not be taking two unvaccinated in my van', I said my mother does not speak very good English and needs her designated support person to accompany her.".The letter claims the paramedic replied: "I will not be taking two unvaccinated in my van and putting myself at risk.".The author of the letter then claims he asked the paramedic if this was a policy and where he could find this in writing.."I will step out and call my supervisor," the paramedic said to the man..The letter then claims the paramedic came back inside and said, "He would not be providing transport to the hospital.".The letter claims the paramedic told the Albertan family he "was advised that I could decline the support based on their vaccination status.".The family claims they then pleaded with the paramedic that the woman needed a family member to translate English in the ambulance while being transported to the hospital. The family said in the letter the paramedic supervisor stated "the paramedic has the right to refuse based on their vaccine status if they feel unsafe.".The family would eventually have to transport their mother to the hospital themselves.."After transporting my mother to the hospital ourselves the emergency doctor said my mother had suffered a mini-stroke. My mother is devastated and scared. What will happen if she ever needs the hospital or 911 services again? We know from the hospital that having suffered this mini-stroke my mother is now at serious risk of subsequent mini or full stroke. In the event this happens minutes are critical to her survival," the letter said.."This event endangered the life of my disabled immigrant mother who was discriminated against due to her language based on her immigrant background and her vaccine status this is not just a human rights violation. This is also clearly willful negligence endangering life.".Kerry Williamson, an AHS spokesperson, said in an email to the Western Standard, "There is no AHS policy that allows for refusal of patient care based on vaccination status."."AHS received an inquiry to our Patient Relations department, and we will be investigating the event in question and reaching out to the family to better understand what occurred," Williamson said..Williamson noted it's not clear if the concerns relate to a patient or others accompanying the patient, or if they relate to vaccination status vs someone having the infection itself..None of the claims from the letter have been proven, but AHS is investigating.."There might be limits put on access for others in specific circumstances that would not be put on a patient," Williamson said.."We also encourage people to contact the AHS Patient Relations team if they have concerns about their care, or the care of a family member or loved one."
