WADEMSA successfully negotiates contract

Times Reporter      

 

After years of contract talks and frustrations, members of the Wheatland and District Emergency Medical Services Association (WADEMSA) finally have something to smile about. Talks with Alberta Health Services (AHS) have been successful regarding the ambulance provision contract. 

“This means for our residents that WADEMSA will still be providing services for the next five to nine years based on this contract,” said Rob Witty, director of WADEMSA. 

“It’s been an interesting process. We have been negotiating this contract in excess of two years now so we’re quite excited to be able to provide services to our municipalities. This happens to be our 25 year in operation, 2013 is, and obviously we’ll be in business for a few more years now.”

The five-year contract has two possible two year extensions before negotiations over a new contract would have to begin. Witty said the contract includes some subtle shifting changes but those changes are all positive for the staff. 

Originally WADEMSA was asking for about $500,000 more than AHS was willing to give. They were told there was no more money and they would need to figure out how to slash their budget to meet the AHS dollar figure.

“The board had a conversation and we decided we wanted to take a bit of a different avenue towards it and a different route,” said Darcy Burke, WADEMSA board chairman.

The board chose to speak to local politicians to help with the fight. They also wrote letters to Minister Horne’s office requesting a meeting to be able to discuss some of their stats. 

Burke said AHS met with the WADEMSA board and the board was able to show why they should stay under the same model as they have over the past 25 years. The provincial average for ambulance calls is approximately 600 calls per unit per year. WADEMSA responds to approximately 1,000 calls per unit per year, almost doubling the provincial average. 

“I think that pretty significantly stated the fact that we don’t fit into the funding model that is currently being used in the province for ambulance delivery for their funding model,” said Burke. 

Patient care and the services provided by WADEMSA were also highlighted at the meeting.

Brenda Huband, chief executive officer for AHS, said Wheatland EMS has provided high quality care for Strathmore area families for 25 years and AHS is proud to partner with them for a number of more years. 

“We’re really excited about this. This is a significant step forward to ensuring high quality ambulance services continue in Strathmore and area,” said Huband.

“Taking the time to get this right has really ensured that Strathmore and area residents receive safe, timely, high quality EMS care now and for many years to come. This is a great day for us and I think Wheatland EMS would say that as well.”

“We’re very ecstatic that we’ve been able to maintain this and I’m hoping that maybe this could be a bit of a catalyst for other rural agencies that still don’t have a contract signed. You definitely have to continue to provide the information and fight to keep your system, because it is possible to have it done,” said Burke. 

“I think there is a lot of credit owed to management and staff, paramedics, EMT’s, the whole ball of wax, that’s part of the reason why we’ve been successful on the contract.”

There are other municipalities across the province which are still in the midst of their own contract talk. The WADEMSA board hopes their success will help motivate others to keep fighting.  

“We weren’t willing to decrease the level of service in order to just get a contract. From the board level our direction was to at least maintain and continue the level of service that our citizens have been able to provide,” said Witty.

“We weren’t willing to accept less money which would mean we would from an operational standpoint probably have to cut services just to make ends meet. That was not our focus, we wanted to be able to maintain and or enhance the delivery that we offer. We weren’t willing to settle for anything less and we put up a hard fight.”

“I’m very pleased with the outcome. I know the members of WADEMSA put in an awful lot of time and hard work to get this accomplished,” said Strathmore-Brooks MLA Jason Hale. 

He said some of his colleagues are fighting over ambulance issues in their constituencies. 

“This is good to show them that there can be some changes made if you don’t take no for an answer basically.”

Burke said the key for WADEMSA was making sure they got the facts to the right people. When contract talks come up again in five to nine years, the best thing WADEMSA can do is what they are already doing: running a streamlined system and providing dependable patient care.