The glaring lack of ambulances on the streets of Montreal and Laval is due to labor shortages.
On February 11, there was a 25% shortage of ambulances on the streets.
The phenomenon, while far from new, intensified in February 2023.
Remember that in July 2022, a 91-year-old woman died after waiting 7 hours for the ambulance.
The preclinical union calls on Urgences-Santé to apply solutions quickly.
“We took the patient to the emergency room, but the patient was also waiting in the hospital center due to the congestion in the waiting room,” explained Stéphane Smith, spokesman for Urgences-Santé.
For this reason, Urgences-Santé now offers to refer certain patients whose condition allows it to other services.
In the meantime, paramedics must reduce their break times and work mandatory overtime.