Prairie North Regional Health Authority board members approved a partnership agreement at a regular board meeting in North Battleford Nov. 24, that will see continued operation of the Neilburg Ambulance Service.
The agreement is with the Villages of Neilburg and Marsden and the Rural Municipalities of Hillsdale and Manitou Lake operating by appointed representation as the Manitou Ambulance Board.
Under the agreement, the Regional Health Authority and Manitou Ambulance Board will co-manage the Neilburg Ambulance Service that PNHR had initially intended to close earlier this fall. Instead, the villages and RMs will cover standby staffing costs of just over $72,000, plus staff licensing top-up costs and costs to train new emergency medical responders.
PNHR will continue to maintain overall responsibility for providing ambulance services 24-hours per day seven days per week, delivering basic life support services. Both parties share responsibility for staff recruitment, reviewing utilization of the service, and reviewing quality assurance elements of the service.
The agreement is a three-year deal beginning Jan. 1. Both partners may terminate the agreement if they are unable to appropriately staff Neilburg Emergency Medical Services (EMS). If this occurs, the health region will make alternative arrangements for the provision of ambulance service to the area. Vice-president of Integrated Health Services Barbara Jiricka advised the councils of all four communities support the agreement and are prepared to sign.
In other business, PNRHA has a $1.8 million surplus on operations to the end of October 2010, according to the latest monthly financial statements. Staff and medical position vacancies account for much of the surplus.
Vice-president of Primary Health Services Glennys Uzelman reported the Robert Simard Social Detox Unit in Meadow Lake continues to function and has experienced an increase in usage over the past month. Criteria for admission to the four-bed unit have been revised to improve utilization. The result has been a positive increase, with the unit now functioning at 75to 78 per cent capacity, from its previous level of 50 per cent. Uzelman noted the level of utilization will continue to be monitored.
