Alberta’s minister of hospitals says she has put an end to a contentious rebranding of the province’s paramedic service provider.
Last month, Acute Care Alberta announced Emergency Health Services Alberta had changed its name to ALTA Paramedic Health.
The rebranding would see ambulances across the province be outfitted with new logos and paramedics wearing new uniforms.
At the time, the government said the change signalled a renewed commitment to high-quality care and accountability.
Plans to outfit ambulances with new logos and provide paramedics with new uniforms were met with a strong backlash from critics who called it a waste of money.
Source: Government of Alberta
Critics, including the union representing about 3,500 paramedics across Alberta, have said it was a waste of resources that should be put toward addressing working conditions and staff shortages.
Health Sciences Association of Alberta president Leanne Alfaro said the union appreciates that the government is listening to its concerns.
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“Our EMS members are proud of the care they provide to Albertans and proud of their identity as first responders,” Alfaro said.
“Throughout this process, they have consistently emphasized the importance of focusing resources and attention on strengthening emergency care and supporting the retention and recruitment of professionals who deliver that care every day.”
Hospitals Minister Adriana LaGrange said she shares the concerns, and that’s why she’s ordered the change to be scrapped until further engagement can be done.
The May 15 news release from Acute Care Alberta said the ALTA Paramedic Health name and identity were developed through a “structured process that included consultation with frontline staff, support teams, and leaders from across the province.”
— More to come…
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