Province introduces advanced care paramedics in rural and northern Manitoba

The Manitoba government says a program introducing advanced care paramedics at seven locations will improve medical care for emergencies throughout rural and northern Manitoba.

Fourteen "clinical service leaders" trained in advanced care paramedicine have been strategically placed in Portage la Prairie, Flin Flon, Dauphin, Ashern, Neepawa, Swan River and Lac du Bonnet as part of the program, the government said in a release Wednesday.

Advanced care paramedics' scope of practice is broader than other paramedics. They can perform advanced life support, respiratory and cardiac care procedures, and can give a wider range of medications.

The province said the paramedics will respond to medical emergencies on rapid response vehicles but won't transport patients. It said their training will improve pre-hospital care.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Wednesday the paramedics can be on ambulance or be more mobile, and care for people in their own homes.

The province said the clinical service leaders will be the first Shared Health paramedics to practice at the advanced care level.

"The previous government's decision to not train advanced care paramedics and to not give them jobs in rural and northern Manitoba was irresponsible, it was reckless and it was wrong," the minister said.

"Our government is reversing that approach: We are training them, we are hiring them, we're giving them jobs in rural Manitoba because they really are invaluable."

Two months before the 2023 provincial election, the former Progressive Conservative government announced it would revive a program that provided advanced training to paramedics in rural and northern Manitoba, and introduced 10 community paramedicine units outside Winnipeg.

Asagwara said the province also wants to encourage a new paramedics class graduating this spring to pursue the advanced care certification.

"We have seats available for you," they said. "We want you to train here in Manitoba and we're going to make sure there's a job waiting."