www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, July 14, 2016 | 10 Region wants improvements in ambulance dispatch by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr is calling on the provincial government to get its act together to upgrade the outdated ambulance dispatch service it's providing for Halton and Peel. According to Carr, Halton Region has been lobbying, for more than 14 years, for improvements to the Mississauga Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC), which serves Halton and Peel and is operated by the Ontario Ministry of Health and LongTerm Care (MOHLTC). "I think the time has come for the four mayors, and myself, to request a meeting with the Premier of this province," he told a Halton Region health and social services committee meeting June 14. "They better be prepared to act because we're not going to sit and watch a tragedy happen," he charged, noting the time to be nice and polite has passed. Carr's criticism followed a presentation by Halton Paramedic Services Chief and Director Greg Sage on a related report. That report highlighted a recent investigation Halton Region Chair Gary Carr conducted by the MOHLTC into six calls Halton staff reported as delays associated with what were perceived to be dispatch errors. "Staff elected to engage the MOHLTC's Emergency Health Services Branch investigations section to undertake an independent review of the calls involved," the report states. Halton Paramedic Services Chief Greg Sage Through the investigation process, the MOHLTC confirmed that deficiencies at the Mississauga CACC contributed to call delays, the report revealed. "At the end of the day, these delays have the potential to significantly impact a patient," said Sage, who noted significant changes are required to the current system and although there has been indication improvements would be made, there is not yet a commitment on timing. Local officials are eyeing Niagara Region and Toronto as examples of what would better serve Halton. Carr heard Halton Region could only move to the same system Niagara Region and the City or Toronto have if it gets ministry approval. Carr said he plans not only to write the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, but to request a meeting with Premier Kathleen Wynne in hopes of having a quicker response to an issue that's been outstanding since 2002. "This is life-saving service. We cannot expect the best in this country to have second-class service because the province can't get their act together," said Carr. Oakville Councillor Jeff Knoll, a veteran councillor, said he recalls this issue coming up year after year. "It's reprehensible that this has been able to fester this long," he said. "What's troubling is the problem not only exists today, but it's existed for well over a decade and we've been talking about it over and over again," said Burlington Councillor Rick Craven. For more news, visit www.oakvillebeaver.com. `Like' the Oakville Beaver on Facebook. ALL YOU CAN EAT Lunch or Dinner Seniors Day! 10% DIScount EVERY tuESDAY if you are over 60! DiNe iN foR AllYou cAN eAt Award Winning! LIKE us on Facebook! 1 minute North of the QEW on Burloak Drive (Corner of Tim Hortons / Petro Canada plaza) 280 North Service Road W. @ Dorval 905-338-6228 10% oFF Dinner only. cash only & with this ad. www.august8.ca