As part of our ongoing work to strengthen medication stewardship and controlled substances oversight, RPPEO has completed a review and revision of several internal policies. While most changes were administrative or formatting in nature, we made one substantive revision that may affect clinical work:

CLI 120 – Ordering and Managing Controlled Substances

The updated policy now includes the following clarifications:

• Expanded Scope: The policy explicitly applies to RPPEO staff, paramedic services, and certified paramedics.
• Authorized Use: Medications prescribed by the RPPEO Medical Director may only be used for their intended clinical purpose and patient, as aligned with Ministry of Health standards for emergency ambulance services, as defined in the Ambulance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. A.19, such as the Advanced Life Support Patient Care Standards and approved Patient Care Model Standards. Any other use must be authorized through direct consultation with a Base Hospital Physician.

These changes are part of a broader RPPEO Action Plan on Controlled Substances Oversight. The plan reflects our commitment to support safe, appropriate, and transparent medication practices, and will include further improvements to processes, education, and documentation over the coming months.

We encourage all RPPEO-certified paramedics to review the revised CLI 120 policy, which is available on the RPPEO website.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us at quality@RPPEO.ca.

Click to download a copy of the RPPEO Memo on CLI 120 Revision.