Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board

Welcome to the Emergency Medical Assistants (EMA) Licensing Board web site. Information is provided on the Board, its policy and procedures, the First Responder Program, and the handling of complaints involving patient care issues.

About the Board

The main function of the EMA Licensing Board is to protect the public. The Board has an important role in ensuring all practitioners involved with pre-hospital emergency care comply with the Emergency and Health Services Act. This provides assurance to the public that competent, consistent, appropriate and timely care will be available during medical emergencies.

The EMA Licensing Board is empowered under the Act to examine, register and license all EMAs practicing throughout British Columbia. License terms and conditions are set by the Board and periodic evaluations are conducted to ensure the competency of each attendant. The Board also has a mandate under the Act to investigate complaints about patient care issues and, when deemed necessary, conduct hearings. A hearing will determine whether allegations are supported and whether an EMA license should have conditions imposed, be suspended, revoked or barred from licensure for a period of time.

The EMA Licensing Board is comprised of three members appointed by Order-in-Council. By regulation, appointments must include one licensed emergency medical assistant and one medical practitioner. Since inception of the Board, the third appointment to the chair position has been a lawyer experienced with labour relations and adjudication. The Board retains independent legal counsel, a full-time registrar and staff to assist it in carrying out its mandate.
A licensing system provides assurance to the public that only qualified, trained individuals are permitted to provide pre-hospital care when dispatched to emergency calls.

Board Members