A “frustrating” refusal by the province has not weakened the city’s resolve to launch a taxis-as-ambulances pilot project, Ottawa’s paramedic chief told reporters on Wednesday, explaining that an opportunity may be hiding in what the ministry didn’t say.
The City of Ottawa proposed the pilot last autumn as a way to offset the hours paramedics are waiting at overcrowded emergency rooms. These delays lead to “code zero” events where no ambulance is available for calls.
The trial would have allowed paramedics to send patients with non-serious injuries to hospital in a taxi instead.
“That kind of creative solution is exactly what we need,” said Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. “So, I was a little bit surprised by the fact that the province wasn’t in agreement.”
I’d also be curious why the province takes issue. I think the reason probably is that a need for such a band-aid solution reveals that the system is broken; and maybe implementing the former proves the latter. It is notable that both paramedics and the city are behind this and the province says no. Tensions, clearly
If they are just playing politics with the health and well being of their constituents, then it would be nice if there were consequences for them.