B.C. health minister responds as paramedics warn ambulances just sitting empty [Video]

British Columbia’s health minister is responding to concerns from the province’s paramedic union over overtime and staffing concerns, which it says are contributing to service delays.

“We continue to see widespread ambulances out of service and just sitting empty,” Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. spokesperson Ian Tait told Global News.

“Obviously the interior and north seem to be hit extra hard, but we’ve seen a lot of it in Vancouver and in municipalities throughout the valley as well.”

The union says BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) relies heavily on overtime to keep ambulances staffed, but as of Jan. 1 has stopped scheduling overtime shifts in advance, instead relying on last-minute calls.

That’s resulted in fewer staffed ambulances, the union alleges, something Tait described as a front-line service cut — and longer wait times for patients — as BCEHS grapples with a $200-million budget deficit.

On Monday, Health Minister Josie Osborne said the province was working with BCEHS to review “cost pressures” …