LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge, and three other municipalities forced to consolidate ambulance dispatch earlier this year, have filed a joint complaint with the Alberta Ombudsmen.
Mayor Chris Spearman says it’s been over a year since the decision was made and he and his fellow Mayors in Red Deer, Calgary, and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo are still sounding the alarm.
He says it’s an alarm the provincial government and AHS are not listening to.
Spearman says he hopes the decision to file a complaint with the Alberta Ombudsmen will amplify concerns and make patient safety a priority.
The four mayors say since consolidation in January, regions across the province have experienced significant issues with the service which has increased the risk to patient care.
Alberta Health Services announced the dispatch changes in Summer 2020 – a plan the government has said would save around $6 million a year.
The Ombudsman, Marianne Ryan, is an Officer of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and reports directly to the Assembly.
Her role is to be impartial and operate independently from the Alberta government, political parties and individual elected officials.