STARS will soon have expanded responsibility in the province.
The air ambulance service is taking over for Lifeflight, which has been providing transport for patients in areas outside a 200-kilometre radius of Winnipeg.
STARS currently provides service for Southern Manitoba.
“Our skilled air medical crews and transport physicians will continue to ensure patients in Manitoba receive the highest level of care in their moment of need,” said Dr. JN Armstrong, chief medical officer for STARS.
Since 2018, the province has been searching for ways to provide air ambulance service in a more efficient manner.
For the last two years, critical care medical air services have been provided by a combination of Lifeflight, STARS and Shared Health adult and child transport team.
Shared Health, which took over operational responsiblity for Lifeflight in October 2019, says access to STARS will stay the same. Clinical staff will continue to be assigned according to patient need and STARS will use both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft for the transport of patients.
The transition will take no place no sooner than Dec. 10.
Staff and unions have been informed of the decision, and Shared Health said opportunities will be provided to all those affected.
The Manitoba Nurses Union said nurses are deeply concerned about the move.
“We feel this move proves that all along government only wanted to weaken and eventually outsource a service that’s of vital importance to rural Manitobans,” said union president Darlene Jackson.
Jackson also has questions as to whether STARS is capable of managing the expansion while improving patient care.
“The delivery of a province-wide air ambulance program is best done primarily through the public system, and we urge the government to reverse this decision before it comes into effect,” added Jackson.
NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara is also against the move, calling it “alarming”.
“It will mean longer wait times for people in crisis and poorer quality care,” Asagwara said in a statement.
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