Fifteen people have been selected to be a part of a transitional council to develop a College of Paramedics.
Dauphin’s Bryan Jacobsen, an educator for PMH’s Emergency Medical Service Program, is one of the appointments to the council.
Eric Glass, Administrative Director for the Paramedic Association of Manitoba, explains why this is necessary:
“Most people think that paramedics are regulated health practitioners. In fact, that’s not really the case. While we are licensed by the Province of Manitoba, we don’t fall under the same regulations as all other health providers in the province, and I think the expectation of the public is that we would be held to the same standards of accountability, same standards of transparency, as every other health care professional they deal with. So, I think the next step in moving paramedics toward a regulated health profession, under the Regulated Health Professions Act, is extremely important for both the profession and the public.”
An Executive Director for the new group will be appointed by the council.