No ambulance available in Regina 71 times in October 2022, SHA stats show

No ambulance was immediately available to respond to emergencies in Regina 206 times from May to October 2022 – including 71 in October alone.

Statistics obtained by CTV News from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) through a freedom of information request show an upwards trajectory of units not being available upon request over the six-month period.

In May, there were 15 events when an ambulance wasn’t available, followed by 16 in June. The number more than doubled in July, reaching 34 instances when an ambulance couldn’t immediately respond. There were 36 in August, 34 in September and a spike to 71 instances in October.

The information received did not include how long it ended up taking an ambulance to respond in each instance.

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In a statement, the SHA said it’s working with the Government of Saskatchewan to explore recruitment and retention initiatives for paramedics. It’s also working with Saskatchewan Polytechnic to provide more training.

“As with all EMS services, calls to 911 are prioritized based on the level of severity,” the SHA statement said.

“In the event that an ambulance is not immediately available, the next closest available ambulance will be dispatched. In the case of a critical call within the city of Regina, the Regina fire department will first respond and provide care until an ambulance can arrive.”

In Regina, the SHA said it’s reviewing the System Status Management Plan to prioritize critical calls and balance the work load for paramedics.

“We are also working with emergency departments in Regina to improve the current procedures on offloading ambulances, especially during periods of increased call volumes,” the SHA said.

More details to come…