Paramedics are waiting an average of 78 minutes at Winnipeg hospitals to off-load patients — and the problem is only getting worse.
The statistic comes from the Manitoba Tories, who on Thursday renewed their call for the provincial NDP to address the issue and prevent further “code reds” — when no available ambulances are free to respond to emergencies.
“We raised this in the Legislature and the NDP promised the issue would be dealt with,” said PC health critic Cameron Friesen. “The minister (Theresa Oswald) promised to do better, and now six months later the numbers are worse. This is not progress. This is a failure for the NDP and health minister.”
The PCs say in the first six months of this year, 21,000 hours have been wasted by paramedics who are waiting to off-load patients at city hospitals.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has paid the city $2.2 million for ambulance off-load delays from January 2012 to August 2013.
A chart comparing ambulance off-load delay costs beginning in April 2011. (HANDOUT)
