Niagara Health and Niagara EMS have announced an expansion of ambulance services.
Starting tomorrow, ambulance arrivals will be expanded to Niagara Health's Urgent Care Centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne.
This means that patients who require non-emergency healthcare may be taken by ambulance to a Niagara Health Urgent Care Centre in Port Colborne or Fort Erie.
In serious situations requiring immediate assistance, patients will be taken to the closest hospital.
Derek McNally, Niagara Health's Executive Vice President of Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive says that this is part of Niagara Health's effort to improve service in emergency departments.
"Expanding our ambulance arrivals to our Urgent Care Centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne is part of our effort to increase capacity in our Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centres during the pandemic and to ensure people are receiving care in the most appropriate place."
Kevin Smith, Chief of Niagara Emergency Medical Services, says that move will help meet the medical needs of the community during the pandemic.
"Niagara EMS medical dispatchers, nurses and paramedics will continue to ensure your immediate health needs are met. To accomplish this means needing to implement changes such as this to sustain our ability to provide the vital emergency services for our community."