A Sunrise Health Region decision to cut Preeceville's ambulance service in half has been reversed, but the news isn't all good.
At its May 30 meeting, the Regional Health Authority decided to cancel plans to reduce Preeceville's ambulance fleet from two vehicles to one after learning that two physicians in Canora will soon be departing the region.
"With that change in information, we want to stabilize the north, and so we have reinstated or reverted that decision," said Sunrise Health Region CEO Suann Laurent.
The cut to emergency services was to go into effect on May 1, but an application for provincial mediation from the owners of Preeceville Ambulance Service delayed the change. Preeceville's full emergency services have been maintained throughout the process.
But Laurent implied that the reprieve might be only temporary. Sunrise is uncertain how long the Canora area will be short on doctors, and Preeceville's emergency services are likely to be reevaluated once the situation stabilizes.
"We always monitor and see where we're at for call volumes and service volumes, and so we'll continue to do that."
Preeceville mayor Garth Harris has mixed feelings about the news.
"We're happy with it, but we would like it to be a win on the merits of keeping the second ambulance here as we see it, instead of the doctor shortage," he said.
"Are we going to go through this same fight in a year?"
Preeceville's ambulance fleet appears to be secure for at least the next few months.
"We're still trying to talk to [the physicians] to stay, and we'll continue to recruit, but we need to do something for the community over the summer," Laurent said.
