Shared Health now responsible for Lifeflight air ambulance service

WINNIPEG -- Manitoba’s Lifeflight critical care ambulance service is now under Shared Health.

According to a news release from the province, Shared Health took over the responsibility of delivering medical services and patient transport back in April, but “became responsible for the operational and medical leadership of the Lifeflight service” on Thursday.

“Bringing together provincial emergency medical services and patient transport staff and resources under consistent operational and medical leadership will allow for the development of an improved, fully connected model of care for all patients in need of critical care, emergency, urgent and non-urgent emergency response,” said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen in the release.

The province said the service’s employees and union representatives were formally notified of the timing of the transition on Thursday. It notes operational and medical leadership transitioned immediately to Shared Health, while staff remain government employees.

Staff will be formally transferred after a transition plan is developed by the province and the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union.

“Integrating emergency response services and patient transport will result in improved service for Manitobans,” said Friesen. “We believe the model being developed by our Manitoba clinical experts will not only apply those leading practices but improve upon them.”

Lifeflight, developed in 1985, provides air ambulance transportation from areas outside a 200-kilometre radius of Winnipeg.