Ambulance

Focus on the Paramedic Association of Canada
We also have relationships with the
Canadian Association of Emergency
Physicians, the Canadian Medical Association,
the Canadian Safety and Security Program,
and the Domestic (Canadian) Group on
Emergency Management) and others.
The Paramedic Association of Canada offers
practitioners opportunities for continuing
education with our international congress
Paramedicine Across Canada Expo (PACE).
See the editorial in this issue for information
on our next PACE congress, August 18 and
19, 2017 in Quebec City, Quebec.
3. Support for the Profession – with
the development of national examinations,
and supporting provincial applications for
regulatory self-governance.
We are actively promoting the development
of baccalaureate and advanced degree
programs in paramedicine.
Special Projects of Interest to our
U.K. Colleagues
• Mental Health
Given the stresses inherent in paramedic
and first responder practices, PAC has
worked closely with many stakeholders
to address Post Traumatic Stress Disease
(PTSD), mental health issues such as
depression and anxiety, and suicides.
A Canadian organization Tema Conter
Memorial Trust began tracking the number
of suicides in all emergency services. At the
time of this writing, there tragically have
been at least 17 Paramedics who have
committed suicide.
A recent survey of over 6,000 paramedics
discovered that at least 30% of paramedics
had contemplated suicide at some time
in their career. PAC took the initiative to
reduce these disturbing numbers by forming
a committee of Paramedics and Mental
Health professionals.
PAC engaged in lobbying efforts continued
with many levels of governments to
secure funding for research, assessment
and treatment. PAC collaborated with the
PAC President Chris Hood
Winter 2016 | Ambulancetoday
Members of the PAC Board with Prime Minister Trudeau
Canadian Standards Association to develop
guidelines for dealing with mental health
issues and strategies for development of
resiliencies.
• Community Paramedicine
PAC has been instrumental, in collaboration
with the Canadian Standards Association
and many stakeholders in developing the
draft standards “Community Paramedicine:
Framework for Program Development.”
Excerpting from these draft Standards:
“Community Paramedicine Programs” have
emerged throughout Canada in an effort
to maximize efficiencies in patient care
and resources. These programs provide
an innovative model of care that helps
to improve access to additional support
services for seniors and patients with
chronic health and social issues.
The development and expansion of these
programs allows paramedics to apply their
education and skills beyond the traditional
role of emergency medical responders.
These programs help to support high users
of paramedic services to avoid emergency
room visits and hospitalizations and can
potentially delay entry to long-term care.
The aim of these programs is to improve
patient outcomes and decrease costs in
a way that supplements, but does not
replace services delivered by other health
care providers. These programs can help
to provide a more sustainable, integrated,
patient-centred system.
While many paramedic services and
jurisdictions are developing and expanding
these programs there are no nationally or
internationally accepted guidelines for the
development of community paramedicine
programs. This Standard addresses the
elements that experience has shown to be
the most critical in developing an effective
community paramedicine program.”
Consultation on these draft Standards will
begin this month - December 2016.
• Advocacy
PAC members participate in advocacy
with Members of Parliament. The most
recent government relations day occurred
in Ottawa, Ontario on May 17, 2016.
Joined by 30 paramedics from each of the
provincial Chapters across Canada, PAC
met with many Members of Parliament to
discuss four important topics:
• Community Paramedicine
• Mental Health and Wellness
• Temper-Resistance/Abuse-Deterrent
Drug Legislation
• Heavy Urban Search and Rescue.
PAC members were enthusiastically received
in the House of Commons, including by
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Prime
Minister was presented with a Benevolent
pin representing the men and women
who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while
providing medical care in our communities.
Here is an excerpt from the welcoming
address:
“These dedicated men and women serve
on the front line of health care delivery and
public safety across Canada and are proud
members of the first responder community.
They serve in our municipalities, remote
communities, and our Armed Forces.
We cannot forget the daily challenges of
their profession and are reminded of this
when talking about paramedic wellness
and the high rates of PTSD suffered by first
responders.
They are everyday heroes and it is an
honour for us to host them in the House
of Commons today. Please join me in
welcoming them.”
For further information about PAC,
please contact Dwayne Forsman,
PAC’s Chief Administrative Officer
at: dwayne.forsman@paramedic.ca
Winter 2014 | Ambulancetoday3 41