Centralization, streamlining of ambulance dispatch services resumes in Alberta | Toronto contemplates licensing program for workplaces with blood-borne disease risks | Nova Scotia to include bystanders in bullying
ALBERTA
Centralization, streamlining of ambulance dispatch services resumes in Alberta
Alberta is looking to streamline and centralize its ground ambulance dispatch services.
Health Minister Fred Horne is asking for an implementation report by the end of March and wants to move quickly to improve service.
Alberta had planned to move to a province-wide dispatch system in 2009, but it came to a standstill due to logistical and mapping concerns, which included urban dispatchers being unfamiliar with rural areas.
In 2009, all provincial health regions were also consolidated into the current Alberta Health Services superboard.
The consolidated dispatch system is one of four Health Quality Council recommendations being accepted and acted upon by Horne’s department.
ONTARIO
Toronto contemplates licensing program for workplaces with blood-borne disease risks
Toronto tattoo shops and hair salons may soon be accountable to similar health and safety criteria as restaurants. City council is looking at a bylaw imposing licensing standards for establishments where exposure to blood is frequent.
The Toronto Board of Health presented stricter regulations of Personal Services Settings (PSS), which includes tattoo shops, acupuncture facilities, body piercing studios, barber shops and hair salons because clients are at high risk of blood-borne diseases and infections, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
Under the new rules, businesses would be required to obtain a licence after regular inspections, which would cost an initial $319, plus $210 annually, the Board of Health said.
NOVA SCOTIA
Nova Scotia to include bystanders in bullying
In a move that will be the first in Canada, Nova Scotia is looking to add regulatory definitions for bullying that will include bystanders as having a role in bullying behaviour.
As part of a response to a task force report on the issue, Nova Scotia is recommending a consistent definition of the terms bullying and cyberbullying be developed for the education system. Currently, bullying is defined as, “behaviour, typically repeated, that is intended to cause or should be known to cause fear, intimidation, humiliation, distress or other harm to another person’s body, feelings, self-esteem, reputation or property.”
The new definition will include that bullying can be a direct or indirect and includes assisting or encouraging the behaviour in any way.
