The NDP government has been accused of influencing a change to training requirements for paramedics in a bid to graduate more of them — a key plank in the party’s 2023 election platform.
The College of Paramedics of Manitoba recently announced it had paused the new requirement for primary care paramedics to complete a six-credit anatomy and physiology course.
Post-secondary institutions were given the option to make in-depth training on the subject, which had been embedded in programs and will remain as such, a prerequisite or corequisite, starting in 2023.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Files
The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) hosts a mock demonstration to learn about the work of first responders at their training academy in May. During question period in the Manitoba Legislature today, the PC health critic accused the NDP government of influencing a change to training requirements for paramedics in a bid to graduate more of them.
In question period, PC health critic Kathleen Cook, who said she’s received feedback from paramedics, tabled a letter from one concerned health-care worker who categorized the change as “a step backwards.”
Anatomy and physiology “is the foundation of a paramedic and without a strong foundation the paramedic will struggle, and the public is going to receive substandard care,” states an excerpt from the letter.
The paramedic — whose name was blacked out because Cook said the employee fears reprisal at work for speaking out — suggested the province intervened to boost graduate numbers.
“It’s not the role of any politician to dictate to a college what the educational standards for a profession should be. That is the role of the college. If the NDP made an unrealistic commitment to hire 90 paramedics in one year, then they should come forward and admit that,” Cook later told reporters.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara rejected the official Opposition’s claim that the government overstepped in an independent regulator’s work.
Asagwara said the province has been operating as a partner and meeting with paramedics to hear their ideas to reduce barriers to recruit more professionals.
“I’m in full support of folks taking steps to make our health-care programs more accessible for Manitobans; we want as many Manitobans as possible to be excited and encouraged to pursue health care as a path and certainly, paramedicine,” the health minister said Wednesday.
Extra paramedicine training was introduced to standardize and increase education on the mechanisms of injury and illness and how interventions affect patients on a physiological level, college registrar Corene Debreuil said.
There was pushback from post-secondary institutions that have had a drop in registrations as a result, Debreuil said, adding the regulatory body initially waived the requirement for 2024 intakes in June before announcing an indefinite pause last month.
She said government officials were consulted on the subject and supported the change.
The regulator is shifting its focus to ensure schools are ready for a new national examination that takes effect in 2026, she said.
Criti Care, Red River College Polytechnic, Manitoba Emergency Services College, Elite Safety Services and University College of the North run accredited paramedicine programs.
“These educational institutions have previously put out very well-educated and prepared paramedics and we anticipate that will continue,” said Rebecca Clifton of the Paramedic Association of Manitoba.
Clifton said the association wrote to the NDP government to request the enhanced training be revisited.
While acknowledging there are concerns, she said the change will be “minor” and reduce red tape in a bid to address the chronic workforce shortage.
Cook said she is worried the removal of one barrier has created another because advanced care paramedics must still attain the special six credits.
There’s been a net addition of seven paramedics in Manitoba since the start of the fiscal year, April 1.
In response to Cook’s question about how the province plans to find 83 additional professionals to meet its target, Premier Wab Kinew made a quip about the remaining months on the calendar and noted paramedic figures dropped under the Tories.
The spring budget includes targets for additional health professionals: 100 doctors, 210 nurses, 90 paramedics and 600 aides.
maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca
Maggie Macintosh
Education reporter
Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., Maggie was an intern at the Free Press twice while earning her degree at Ryerson’s School of Journalism (now Toronto Metropolitan University) before joining the newsroom as a reporter in 2019. Read more about Maggie.
Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative.
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