Flin Flon General Hospital

 

 Area residents gathered last evening to discuss the temporary suspension of obstetrical delivery services at Flin Flon General Hospital effective Sunday.

             

Flin Flon MLA Tom Lindsey said he and Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette will do everything they can to see this service restored. He said petitions will be available soon at the constituency office and online to be presented in the Legislature and letters were available to be sent to Premier Brian Pallister demanding the service be restored.

             

Concerns were expressed about the cost of a stay in The Pas and the risk factors and stress of giving birth that already exist, about why we don’t have fee for service doctors who are willing to do deliveries, a group of retired maternity nurses offered to support the effort to restore services to what they were and why are doctors leaving Flin Flon.

             

Health Region Board Chair Cal Huntley says they continue trying to recruit without success as qualified service providers won’t come due to low birth rates and maintaining their qualifications so they suspended services for now so people can safely prepare for deliveries in The Pas or elsewhere adding if there is an emergency it will be handled in the emergency department here.

             

 MP Niki Ashton concluded by adding the buck stops with the provincial government and our voices need to be heard as this hospital is a regional hub providing services to the youngest population area in the country.