​PHSA welcomes the changes announced by Health Minister Adrian Dix as a way to further strengthen the capacity of BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) and provide timely and exceptional service to British Columbians when and where they need ambulance services.

We are pleased to welcome Jim Chu as the BCEHS Board Chair and Darren Entwistle, the president and CEO of Telus, as a special advisor to the BCEHS board. 

We are also pleased to welcome Leanne Heppell to PHSA’s executive leadership team as interim executive vice president & chief ambulance officer. Leanne is seconded from her current role at Providence Health Care, where she serves as the chief operating officer, acute care & chief of professional practice & nursing. 

This news provides an opportunity to strengthen the focus of BCEHS governance, while improving service for patients and the day-to-day work experiences of employees. 

We wish to thank the Ministry of Health for their commitment and acknowledge BCEHS employees and leaders for their hard work, commitment, and resilience. We welcome the opportunity to move forward with these changes, which reflect input from both BCEHS and the Ambulance Paramedics of BC (APBC), and we are confident this will result in long-term system improvements that will benefit both patients and our BCEHS employees.