Air ambulance problems starting already

The air ambulance originally based in St. Anthony was only moved a few days ago, but the problems are already starting to surface, says Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones. In the House of Assembly earlier today, Jones highlighted incidents that have happened over the past couple of days that resulted in long delays for patients requiring medical treatment.

Jones provided information of a medevac from Mary’s Harbour yesterday and highlighted the delays that are being experienced.  Due to the lack of medevac team in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, any patient pick ups would have to fly to St. John’s first to pick up a medevac team. Now that the plane is in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, this will increase response times by an extra hour. 

“The Minister of Health confirmed in the House of Assembly on May 25^th that it will take up to a year for a medevac team to be stationed with the plane in Happy Valley-Goose Bay,” said Ms. Jones. “As the air ambulance will now have to travel to St. John’s to pick up a medevac team in the case of emergencies, an extra hour will be added to response times. The alternative plan, which happened over the weekend, is for the St. John’s plane to respond to emergencies in Labrador while the Goose Bay plane sits on the tarmac. By moving the plane without the necessary infrastructure and human resources in place, it once again shows how rushed and poorly planned this decision has been. How does this convoluted flight plan make any sense and improve the air ambulance service in the province?

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