History
Health
Services:
Until 1995 Nova Scotia relied
on approximately 50 private and public ambulance operators
to provide emergency medical care. This resulted in inconsistencies
in terms of medical care, levels of staff qualifications,
and the type and condition of ambulances; some areas of the
province had better service than others.. Most medical air
transportation was provided by the Canadian Forces.
In 1994, a transformation of the system began with the provincial
government taking over all ambulance operators and consolidating
them into a single entity called Emergency Health Services.
The operation of EHS is contracted to Medavie Blue Cross and
it has since developed into a recognized world leader in pre-hospital
care
The service was founded by
the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947 (since repealed
by the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978). This
Act did not originate free public health services in Scotland
(which had already existed in some form for many years without
universal application) but provided a uniform national structure
for services which had previously been provided by a combination
of local government, charities and private organisations which
in general was only free for emergency use.
The new system was funded
from central taxation and did not generally involve a charge
at the time of use for services concerned with existing medical
conditions or vaccinations carried out as a matter of general
public health requirements; prescription charges were a later
introduction in 1951.
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