File photo of an emergency rescue exercise held in Beijing in August, 2013 (Photo: Beijing News/Hou Shaoqing)
(ECNS) -- Beijing's lawmakers are mulling a draft regulation for ambulances that details operational rules and fares, with violators set to face a fine of up to 100,000 yuan ($67,000), a local newspaper reported.
The draft plan, a second revision, asks emergency services 120 and 999 to respond to calls in time and quickly report to dispatchers in case of traffic congestion issues.
Services are encouraged to outsource in offering charged stretcher-carrying services. The item is currently not included in the government-funded emergency service package.
Meanwhile, the guide states that emergency services should offer a clear list of charged items and prices, including the fare for ambulances. It says the dispatching of an ambulance should follow the proximity principle. The calculation of fare should follow a unanimous standard based on travel leagues. Violators of the proximity rule will be fined 10,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan. Those who have caused serious problems will be fined 30,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan.
Besides, Beijing is also planning to set up a uniformed emergency dispatching center under supervision of the Municipal Health and Family Planning Bureau to coordinate 120 and 999 services.
The plan comes amid mounting complaints over the descent in quality of emergency services, particularly during a recent case where a plane passenger suffering a sudden illness was left in extreme danger when crew and emergency staff argued over who should carry the patient off the aircraft.
Li Xiaojuan, deputy director of the legislative affairs commission of Beijing Municipal People's Congress, said a focus of the deliberation concerns whether the sector should be open to private players to improve quality through competition.
She said the consultant board made up of 12 experts has reached consensus on maintaining the current structure that puts major responsibility on the government.
"This business directly involves human life. That's why we can't afford risks to put profit-driven players in this field," Liu said, adding that the sector would step up regulations and be open to public scrutiny.
