Highwood UCP candidate RJ Sigurdson said since implementing changes, EMS response times improved throughout the province. Highwood UCP candidate RJ SigurdsonHighwood UCP candidate RJ Sigurdson. ."In 2019 the UCP government inherited a broken, bloated, and bureaucratic health system that was failing Albertans," Sigurdson said.."In response to this crisis, we streamlined resources to the front lines, increased health spending by over $2 billion, and added 700 physicians and nearly 6,000 staff in AHS, including 1,800 registered nurses and 300 paramedics. In 2022 alone, we added 254 physicians and 800 nursing staff.".Sigurdson said recently the UCP government added $136 million in new EMS funding to hire more staff and put more ambulances on the road.."We also implemented new EMS patient transfer guidelines at hospitals to allow paramedics and ambulances to get back on the road faster," Sigurdson said.."Since implementing our changes, EMS response times have improved throughout the province, including a 38% improvement in Calgary, a 25% improvement in Edmonton, and an average 33% improvement in smaller communities.".Sigurdson said the UCP plan to improve health care is proof of its commitment to Albertans and front-line workers.."All of the 53 recommendations that are being implemented to improve EMS are a result of direct feedback from our EMS front lines," Sigurdson said.."These changes are direct recommendations from the individuals who protect our communities.".Sigurdson said in just a short six months, the changes are resulting in a dramatic improvement in response times and red alerts and at the same time improving the workplace environment for our hard-working EMS personnel.."The NDP have no plan, just fear and smear. The UCP plan is working, and a re-elected UCP government will continue to do everything we can to provide the best health care to Albertans, where and when they need it," Sigurdson said..On Wednesday, Alberta NDP candidate David Shepherd for Edmonton-City Centre claimed "As you know, people are facing lower unacceptable quality of care."."It is absolutely essential that we get paramedics out of the emergency room back on the road," Shepherd said.."Everybody acknowledges that has been a problem in the system that needs to be addressed. However, that should not be done at the cost of the quality of care that individuals are receiving, nor should that be done if it is just creating more pressure in other parts of the system that could lead to other issues.".UCP leader Danielle Smith says it's time for Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley to stop misleading voters about EMS wait times..READ MORE: Smith encourages Notley to 'stop lying and fear-mongering to Albertans' about EMS wait times.On Friday evening, Smith released a statement after the release of a news report showing EMS wait times markedly improving since November.."This is very encouraging news for patients, their families, and the medical system at large. This means that when Albertans call for life-saving emergency care, EMS is arriving quicker," Smith said in the Friday statement.."As I've said before, our UCP plan to fix Alberta's healthcare system is working, and I am confident we will continue to see improvement in all areas of our Health Care Action Plan (HCAP).".In January, the UCP committed to HCAP to ensure an ambulance is available to everyone where and when they need it and HCAP will lead to better EMS response times..The 10-point plan was rolled out in January..The Alberta Health Service's said wait times for EMS in Edmonton as of April is now 10 minutes, this is compared to 295 minutes in November 2022..The wait time for EMS in Calgary as of April is four minutes, that compared to 254 minutes in November 2022.."With the revelation of this news, I strongly encourage Rachel Notley and the NDP to stop lying and fear-mongering to Albertans about medical wait times," Smith said.
Highwood UCP candidate RJ Sigurdson said since implementing changes, EMS response times improved throughout the province. Highwood UCP candidate RJ SigurdsonHighwood UCP candidate RJ Sigurdson. ."In 2019 the UCP government inherited a broken, bloated, and bureaucratic health system that was failing Albertans," Sigurdson said.."In response to this crisis, we streamlined resources to the front lines, increased health spending by over $2 billion, and added 700 physicians and nearly 6,000 staff in AHS, including 1,800 registered nurses and 300 paramedics. In 2022 alone, we added 254 physicians and 800 nursing staff.".Sigurdson said recently the UCP government added $136 million in new EMS funding to hire more staff and put more ambulances on the road.."We also implemented new EMS patient transfer guidelines at hospitals to allow paramedics and ambulances to get back on the road faster," Sigurdson said.."Since implementing our changes, EMS response times have improved throughout the province, including a 38% improvement in Calgary, a 25% improvement in Edmonton, and an average 33% improvement in smaller communities.".Sigurdson said the UCP plan to improve health care is proof of its commitment to Albertans and front-line workers.."All of the 53 recommendations that are being implemented to improve EMS are a result of direct feedback from our EMS front lines," Sigurdson said.."These changes are direct recommendations from the individuals who protect our communities.".Sigurdson said in just a short six months, the changes are resulting in a dramatic improvement in response times and red alerts and at the same time improving the workplace environment for our hard-working EMS personnel.."The NDP have no plan, just fear and smear. The UCP plan is working, and a re-elected UCP government will continue to do everything we can to provide the best health care to Albertans, where and when they need it," Sigurdson said..On Wednesday, Alberta NDP candidate David Shepherd for Edmonton-City Centre claimed "As you know, people are facing lower unacceptable quality of care."."It is absolutely essential that we get paramedics out of the emergency room back on the road," Shepherd said.."Everybody acknowledges that has been a problem in the system that needs to be addressed. However, that should not be done at the cost of the quality of care that individuals are receiving, nor should that be done if it is just creating more pressure in other parts of the system that could lead to other issues.".UCP leader Danielle Smith says it's time for Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley to stop misleading voters about EMS wait times..READ MORE: Smith encourages Notley to 'stop lying and fear-mongering to Albertans' about EMS wait times.On Friday evening, Smith released a statement after the release of a news report showing EMS wait times markedly improving since November.."This is very encouraging news for patients, their families, and the medical system at large. This means that when Albertans call for life-saving emergency care, EMS is arriving quicker," Smith said in the Friday statement.."As I've said before, our UCP plan to fix Alberta's healthcare system is working, and I am confident we will continue to see improvement in all areas of our Health Care Action Plan (HCAP).".In January, the UCP committed to HCAP to ensure an ambulance is available to everyone where and when they need it and HCAP will lead to better EMS response times..The 10-point plan was rolled out in January..The Alberta Health Service's said wait times for EMS in Edmonton as of April is now 10 minutes, this is compared to 295 minutes in November 2022..The wait time for EMS in Calgary as of April is four minutes, that compared to 254 minutes in November 2022.."With the revelation of this news, I strongly encourage Rachel Notley and the NDP to stop lying and fear-mongering to Albertans about medical wait times," Smith said.
