A Timeline of Health Care Cuts and Changes

April 2023

• Manitoba Official Opposition NDP delay Bill 33, effectively stopping the bill from being passed before the next election
• Seven years after cutting outpatient services and causing chaos for patients, Manitoba privatizes outpatient physiotherapy
• Two specialists at Sleep Disorder Centre withdraw from provincial surgery and diagnostic recovery task force over privatization concerns
• The interim head of neurology at Winnipeg's biggest hospital says provincial efforts to cut medical wait lists are too heavily focused on sending patients out of province rather than funding treatment options locally
• Federal health care funding clawed back after Manitoba-based clinic bills for free medical services; Manitoba Health Coalition calls for made-in-Manitoba Medicare Protection Act
• Manitoba health minister says she hasn't read report that says many health-care staff have considered quitting
• CEO of Manitoba's Shared Health resigns after health-care staffing report leaked
• Grace Hospital surgeons wait months for government action on ‘dire situation’
• North Dakota passes legislation attacking gender-affirming care and all but banning abortion services; MHC calls on provincial government to end contract with Sanford Health in Fargo

March 2023

• Patient dies while waiting for care in Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre emergency department
• Nurses working in Winnipeg hospital's sexual assault program resign due to lack of support 
• Manitoba advocates beaming about national dental plan news
• Grace Hospital doctors beg Manitoba for staffing help to ensure patient safety
• MRI wait times up 70 per cent since August
• Manitoba’s lack of drug-overdose data called coverup
• Manitoba introduces Bill 33, ignoring years of work by community groups to save lives through harm reduction

February 2023

• Manitoba nurses quitting amidst mandated overtime, high vacancy rates, no home-life balance
• Winnipeg man decries 'degrading and dehumanizing' lack of palliative home care for partner
• Manitoba signs health care deal with federal government; Manitoba Health Coalition calls for "strings attached" to protect public health care
• 26% of patients left HSC without being seen in 2022
• Advocates say province fumbling Health Sciences Centre's sexual assault nurse examiner program

January 2023

• Rally at Lions Place urges halt to 'shameful' sale of downtown Winnipeg seniors' complex
• Instead of investing in the public system, the Manitoba government contracts with a private provider for sleep tests in Manitoba
• Several PC cabinet ministers and MLAs attend CPC Leader Pierre Poilievre's speech to the extremist, anti-vaccine and residential school denying Frontier Centre in Winnipeg
• Premier Stefanson shuffles cabinet, leaving Min. Audrey Gordon in Health and replacing Min. Sarah Guillemard with Min. Janice Morley-Lecomte in Mental Health and Community Wellness

December 2022

• Private facilities contracted to provide post-operation physiotherapy cut from the public system in 2017
• BC government official confirm Mental Health Minister Sarah Guillemard lied about visiting Vancouver supervised consumption site
• Manitoba Federation of Labour calls for WCB coverage for mental health injuries in the workplace
• PC government plans to close rural health care facilities exposed
• Manitoba only province to provide no information to federal government study on overdose deaths

November 2022

• Premier Stefanson doubles down on privatization of health care in throne speech
• Manitoba government closes door on harm reduction and supervised consumption sites in Manitoba
• Island Lake First Nations demand health care centre

October 2022

• Former Doctor's Manitoba president, Dr. Kristjan Thompson, calls for urgent help as Winnipeg hospitals suffer deep chaos due to understaffing
• Winnipeg's Children's ER sees increased patient volumes a month after the start of the school year with no preventive measures in schools
• Nurses union issues SOS for Grace ICU
• Manitoba government announces funding for nursing training seats at Red River College Polytechnic, to come online in 2024

September 2022

• Manitoba's deputy chief provincial public health officer roundly criticized for stating "it's okay to get infected" with COVID-19
• Provincial government refuses to release cost of contracts with private, out-of-province surgical operators

August 2022

• Up to 750 Manitobans could get hip, knee surgeries out-of-province under new agreements with private operators
• Documents reveal Manitoba spent more than $40 Million on private nursing agencies in 2021
• 5 anti-vaccine extremists convicted of breaking COVID-19 gathering restrictions

July 2022

• Short-staffing creates rural health crises, with several ERs "temporarily" closed
• Province asks Manitoba private nursing agencies for information on available workers
• Sunshine House announces first Mobile Overdose Prevention Site in Manitoba
• Gender-diverse Manitobans face delays in getting changes to Manitoba Health cards
• Private youth mental health clinic opens in Winnipeg
• One third of rural and northern ERs in Manitoba closed

June 2022

• Manitoba, feds announce $7M to expand virtual health care
• ER closures expected as doctors concerned over rural and Northern Manitoba health care
• For-Profit Winnipeg care home didn't report whistleblower's allegation 15 residents were abused
• Paramedics asked to help 'desperate' ER staff at Manitoba's largest hospital

May 2022

• Despite mounting concern about patient safety, Manitoba doubles down on privatization of air ambulance
• Manitoba surgical wait times lag behind Canadian benchmarks
• Manitoba 'falling further behind' in mental health care, advocates say
• Manitoba’s neurology services a ‘slow-evolving train wreck’
• International students call on Manitoba government to bring back universal health care

April 2022

• Province hands anti-smoking "Social Impact Bond" to Shoppers Drug Mart
• Nurses win grievance over COVID isolation rules
• Manitoba Health Coalition, unions call for removal of Shared Health board member
• Despite high hopes for health-care funding, boost in Manitoba budget doesn't keep up with inflation
• MHC publishes analysis of Budget 2022
• Bereavement day for drug-related deaths may soon be recognized in Manitoba

March 2022

• Final COVID-19 public health measures lifted in Manitoba
• Pandemic backlog of surgical and diagnostic tests increases yet again
• $500K bill sparks calls for universal health care for international students
• Shared Health's first permanent board of directors appointed
• Probe Poll For Manitoba Health Coalition - 2 in 3 Favour Investing in Public System Over Contracting Out to Fix Backlog

February 2022

• Premier Stefanson capitulates to convoy protest occupiers and accelerates timeline to reduce public health measures with no public health basis
• Foreign student in Manitoba stuck with $38K hospital bill after mental health crisis
• Women's Health Clinic executive director says clients, staff harassed by protesters
• Manitoba family pleads for province to end inter-regional patient transfers

January 2022

• Federal modelling suggests 'very intense' Omicron surge within weeks.
• Instead of moving Manitoba to Code Red to protect health care providers and families, Premier Stefanson ignores public health advice and proclaims: "It's up to Manitobans to look after themselves."
• Experts say Manitoba's new plan for handling COVID-19 ignores vulnerable people and hospital systems.
• Seniors in Manitoba's PCH facilities are suffering due to chronic understaffing and outbreaks.
• Hallway medicine is back as frontline health care providers suffer from burnout amid rising hospitalizations.
• In-class studies resume on Monday, January 17 with the province washing its hands of contact tracing and leaving schools and teachers to fend for themselves.
• Doctors Manitoba reveals that from November to December 2021, there was an increase of 1,204 diagnostic and surgical procedure delays, bringing the total to an estimated 153,320 cases in Manitoba.
• Organizations working with and sheltering the most vulnerable face increased need and reduced capacity during the coldest stretch of the winter to date.
• Manitoba now has three ministers of Health - Minister of Health Audrey Gordon, Minister of Seniors and Long-term Care Scott Johnston and Minister of Mental Health and Community Wellness Sarah Guillemard
• Surgeons with the Canadian Spine Society object to plan to send patients to North Dakota which will cost more and reduce patient care
• Manitoba ambulances sitting idle due to staff shortages
• Manitoba has largest pandemic-time reduction in eye surgeries

December 2021

• Amid chaos and criticism, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce pulls out of the distribution of rapid tests
• St. Boniface Hospital support staff in crisis.
• Public health officials urge booster shots while predicting up to 1000 cases per day in New Year.
• Province unveils Surgical and Diagnostic Recovery Task Force with focus on expanding privatization and sending patients out of province.

November 2021

• Number of vacant nursing positions in Winnipeg passes 1,300
• First Speech From the Throne under Premier Heather Stefanson; health care professionals underwhelmed.

July 2021

• Health care system is unable to provide care due to cuts.

June 2021

• Nursing programs receive provincial directives to expand their enrolment to graduate more nurses as soon as possible.

May 2021

• Hospitals overwhelmed patients airlifted out of province.
• Staffing shortage leading to compromised care.
• Health care system strained to the limit.
• Viral sequencing outsourced to private provider - Dynacare.

April 2021

• Cuts to health care system create crisis and hallyway medicine.
• Federal budget released with no new advancements for Pharmacare.
• Manitoba budget contains cuts to acute care.
• Vaccination roll out faltering.

March 2021

• $50 million promised for surgery wait time reduction.
• New hemodialysis unit at HSC - $6.8million

February 2021

• Pallister spends millions on an unproven vaccine.
• Restricted diagnostic tests since October
  
• Maples review report released

January 2021

• The vaccination plan finally released.
• Operating licenses of 3 pch's under review.
• Parkview place outbreak over but conditions are still deplorable.
• New health minister still not responsible for abortions.
• New Mental health minister not in charge of Mental Health Act.
• Top jobs vacant in vaccination roll out with private sector being favoured.
• New health minister and newly created minister of mental health.
• Rural PCH COVID outbreak.

December 2020

• Long term care homes bearing brunt of COVID19.
• 9 out of 10 health board members have no health experience.
• PCH outbreak in Transcona.
• Rangers deployed to Shamattawa.
• Prairie provinces become the epicentre of COVID19.
• Newly released nursing home inspections reveal staff working 50 consecutive days.
• Hospitals and other health care facilities using expired PPE.
• PCH's gripped by COVID outbreaks.

November 2020

• Staffing challenges as COVID spreads through PCH.
• Government failing on contact tracing.
• Deaths surging in care homes.
• Home care workers in short supply.
• Maples safety review reveals deficiencies.
• Circuit break needed to bring case numbers down.
• For profit Revera information on Maples less than accurate. 
• Reddit posts reveals deplorable and inhumane situation at PCH.
• Red cross sent into PCH - not enough.
• Health care system on brink of collapse.
• Province asks for volunteers in health care instead of hiring temporary workers to help in the COVID surge.

October 2020

• Inspection at Parkview Place highlights a number of serious infractions.
• Understaffing in PCH pre-COVID impacting care during the pandemic.
• Swab testing courses available via RRC to fight COVID
• Vacancy rates continue to impact health care during the second COVID wave.
• Throne speech read with little substantive details for improving health care access for all Manitobans.
• * Throughout this month any changes in health care related to COVID 19. Information related to health dealt with the second wave of COVID19.

September 2020

• Burnout high amongst health care workers.
• Vacancy rates continue to remain high at Winnipeg hospitals
• Private mobile testing site operational.
• Province cuts management positions.
• PCH's to receive outdoor visitation shelters made from shipping containers.
• Private provider STARS to take over LifeFlight.
• Consolidations of Cancer Care services cuts locations to 4.
• Diagnostic services temporarily suspended in Shoal lake.
• HSC gets $3.5 million for additional security, beds & staff for addictions.

August 2020

• Province issue RFP for contact tracing, possible privatization on the horizon.
• Emergency room shut down in Roblin
• Manitoba tops country in COVID19 case number increases.
• Government awards surgical contract to 2 private, 3 public facilities.

July 2020

• Government issues RFP to privatize surgical procedures.

June 2020

• Government finally announces funding to bring PCH to fire code safety standards.
• Concerns raised re: lack of inspections at PCH during COVID.
• RFP issued for outdoor visitation units at PCH.
• Phase 3 reopening draft plans released.
• Mental health continues to be an issue during pandemic.
• Rapid COVID testing now available in the North.
• Government withholding inspection reports of PCH.
• Suprise inspections reports reveal substandard levels of cleanliness in PCH.
• Seniors struggle without home care services.

May 2020

• Registered nurse population in Manitoba drops.
• Positive COVID case in private home care business.
• Midwifery degree program finally becomes reality.
• Nurses forced to reuse masks.
• Manitoba removes prescription limit.
• Seniors calling for lifting of 30 day prescription limit.
• Home care workers safety compromised with 1 mask per day policy
• Restrictions begin to ease re: Covid in MB
• Ethnicity to be asked to better understand who is affected and identify gaps in care.
• Nurses asked to stretch PPE.

April 2020

• Projections released; same day Premier announces re-opening province, safety questioned.
• Testing expanded by using private company.
• Recent COVID death was resident at PCH.
• PPE protocols change again, calling into question safety.
• Operating room closed indefinitely in Flin Flon
• Manitoba to ban health care work by one employee at multiple sites.
• Worker at care home tests positive.
• Province unclear on reality of PPE supply.
• Paramedics sound alarm on lack of PPE.
• Home care limiting services.
• Government repeats call for help with PPE supplies.
• Construction of temporary hospitals in Brandon.
• Community transmission hits Manitoba.
• Health care workers feeling the emotional/mental strain during COVID fight.
• COVID fight a long road until vaccine arrives.
• PPE still lacking for health care workers.
• Long wait times for COVID results.
• Province announces $100 million in relief measures, unclear how much is dedicated to health.
• Flin Flon reports first COVID19 case and more health care workers test positive.

March 2020

• Manitoba limited ventilator capacity.
• Province gives private insurance company $4.5 million to provide online mental health therapy.
• First health care worker tests positive for COVID19, PPE access questioned.
• Basic health care access still an issue in the north.
• Testing questioned as cases spike.
• Mask shortage putting frontline workers & patients at risk.
• Home care workers flag shortage of PPE.
• Government scrambles for PPE; asks for help from businesses.
• Staff safety jeopardized told to forego isolation
• Surgeries delayed, prescriptions limited to 30 day supply
• Manitoba budget released, health care continues to be cut.
• Not enough critical care beds and high staff vacancy.
• Respiratory care at HSC overburdened and understaffed.
• Screening tool launched.
• New testing centres to rural and northern MB
• Screening centres announced as first cases of COVID19 are confirmed in MB.
• Manitoba plans to PPEPurchase $35 million worth of PPE for upcoming COVID fight.
• Health Minister claims COVID 19 planning well underway, will not communicate action plans.
• Concerns raised re: insufficient mental health supports in the province.
• Frontline workers raising concerns about preparedness re: COVID19
• Mandate letters sent to Minister many changes in store for Health Care.
• COVID-19 fears escalate and questions surround a suspected patient being left in ER for hours.

February 2020

• Federal Health Minister warns Manitoba to put a stop to private payment to access health care services or received reduced transfer payments.
• Wait times released and show increasing wait times across Winnipeg.
• Medical residency program to start in Thompson.
• Government increasing use of private consultants to develop health care policy.
• Master plan announced for HSC Winnipeg campus.
• St.Boniface nurses sound alarm on workload and compromised patient care.
• Patient care is compromised in the strained health care system.
• Ambulance unavailability hits record high.

January 2020

• Increase in ambulance calls putting 'system under stress'
• WRHA silent on consultant cost.
• One-third of personal care homes still waiting for full sprinkler systems.
• Thompson patients still waiting for 3/4 operating rooms to open. 
• Minor investment to expand dialysis for Dauphin.
• Elective surgeries postponed due to flu. 
• Standing-room only, limited capacity in ERs leading to long wait times and crowded waiting rooms.
• Nurses sound alarm on conditions at HSC.
• Wait times spike over holidays.
• Surge of illnesses prompts WRHA to activate flu plan which includes asking staff to work more.

December 2019

•  Woman's surgery delayed by 5 days due to capacity.
•  Sexually transmitted blood borne infections have been on a dramatic increase in the city.
•  Manitoba sees big jump in equalization payments from federal government. 
•  Province seeking more money from federal government for health care.
•  Premier confirms major changes in rural health care in 2020.
•  Official Opposition introduces bill 205 which will end mandatory overtime.
•  Bill 10 is re-introduced to create, 'Shared Health'.

November 2019

• Clinical services and prevention plan is released.
• Wait times still higher than the national average.
• New WRHA CEO is named.
• Dynacare closing labs for larger sites leaving patients to travel further and longer to access services.
• One year and still no obstetrical care in Flin Flon
• Province looking to add 100 beds for mental health and addictions.
• $4.2 million invested for children and youth mental health services.
• HSC, St.Boniface redirections on the rise.
• Rise in ER wait times.
• New endoscopy unit made possible with donations.
• Government invests $2.4 million over 3 years in Klinic mental health services.
• Women still forced to travel hours to deliver in the north.

October 2019

• Wait times continue to climb.
• Health care spending report released.
• Women's hospital to open Dec. 1, 2019.
• Hip, and knee replacements targets not being met.
• Lifefight is transfered from Manitoba Health to Shared Health.
• Holy Family Home opens expanded long term care beds.
• Manitoba opens 11 flexible length beds for addiction treatment.
• WRHA Head R. Cloutier retires.
• Increases by 82 HIV patients; no commitment to fund PrEP.
• Mifegymiso now universally covered in Manitoba
• Province announces $3 million for youth mental health supports.
• Injection drug use has become the most likely way HIV is transmitted in the province
• Vacancy rates hit 1 in 4 jobs at St.Boniface Hospital.
• HSC issues plea for more nurses to work in increasingly busy ER and mediclne units.

September 2019

• Increase in physicians in Manitoba.
• Wait times up for family doctor.
• Seven oaks intensive care unit set to shut down.

July 2019

• Seven Oaks ER closes and becomes urgent care centre.
• Seven Oaks ER to close two months early and become urgent care centre.
• Expanded St.Boniface ER needs staff to become fully operational.
• Delayed care case for air ambulance services following privatization.

June 2019

• Meth task force report released short on specifics.
• Air ambulance staff axed in move to privatize LifeFlight.
• US based mobile clinic operating in Manitoba against Canada Health Accord, government to investigate.
• Staff engagement plummets at St.Boniface Hospital
• Closure of Seven Oaks ER to happen sooner than planned September closure.
• Gravely ill post op patient dies after 4hour wait at St.Boniface Hospital
• ER Chaos, and bed crunch cause for concern at St.Boniface Hospital
• St. Boniface Hospital stops admitting patients for 24 hours due to critical and unsafe levels. 
• Seven Oaks Hospital unilaterally increases nursing shifts to 12 hours.
• Seven Oaks Hospital cuts full-time health care aide positions.
• Advisory council on the National Implementation of Pharmacare recommends single-payer,  universal, public pharmacare.
• Peachey assessment released detailing staff burnout and morale.
• Province announces minor investment in mental health & addictions.
• Life Flight to privatize despite professional advice concerning access and safety.
• Government announces they will make Mifegymiso universally accessible, no plan of action.
• Concordia ER officially closes and becomes an urgent care centre.

May 2019

• Public Health nurses sound alarm on skyrocketing syphilis rates.
• Concordia ER to close weeks sooner due to staffing shortages.
• Seven Oaks community and allies rally to keep ER and ICU open.
• Staffing issues at Concordia due to shifting health care plan.
• Seven Oaks nurses raise alarm over staffing levels and patient safety.
• Over year since Virgo report and little done on addictions.
• 100 fewer nurses working in Winnipeg since the beginning of health care overhaul.
• Winnipeggers waiting over a year for diagnostic testing.
• Concordia ER to become urgent care centre
• North East residents rally to save the Concordia ER.
• Dr. David Peachey to return to Manitoba to complete an assessment on Phase II of healthcare overhaul.
• First Nation loses its 4 dialysis machines.
• Nurses rally to stop the cuts and closures.
• Nearly four out of 10 Manitobans feel health care gotten worse

 

April 2019

• New scheduling technology to help with overtime, does not address nursing shortage to fill vacancies.
• Health authority closing transitional beds at Winnipeg retirement centre, opening spaces elsewhere - not sure where.
• The new diagnostic centre opens at Misericordia Health Centre
• Province relying on private nurses to fill gaps in staffing at health care facilities.
• Paper organ donation cards completely phased out in favour of online registration.
• Government of Canada and Province of Manitoba sign bilateral agreement to improve health care services.
• Federal money to address meth treatment options left unspent, complication cited in RFP process.
• Manitoba finally signs health accord agreement to receive additional mental health and home care funding.
• Ambulance fees reduced to $250.

March 2019

• Wait times hit a new record high in monthly numbers.
• Wait times for knee, hip replacements, cataract surgery worse in Manitoba
• Major schedule gaps appearing at Lifeflight, disagreement between Lifeflight/province re: staff vacancies.
• Flin Flon emergency room to open in April, still no obstetrical services available.
• Manitoba to review security at health care facilities.
• Health care spending takes a 2% cut in real dollars in Manitoba Budget 2019
• Legislation is introduced that will put each of the seven major health care organizations under one piece of legislation, fears regarding service and possible job cuts.
• Family Medical Centre in St.Boniface to close its doors after nearly 40 years of operation.
• Emergency room wait times up in 2019

February 2019

• The government announces the purchase of 65 new ambulances in an effort to modernize fleet.
• Nurse vacancies at St.Boniface hospital

January 2019

• The government and Bell will be partnering to provide $1 million over 5 years to 'Strongest Families Institute' (SFI).

December 2018

• New MRI in Dauphin, MB now operational.
• Government promises money to hire 2 pilots for Lifeflight and repair two planes.
• The province announces new beds and mobile units to combat the growing meth crisis. The funding of $4.2 million will be matched by federal dollars. The estimated increase in beds total 130. 

November 2018

• Emergency room wait times have increased in Winnipeg a year after the Pallister government closed the Misericordia Urgent Care Centre and converted Victoria Hospital’s ER into an urgent care centre.
• The government puts $3.5 million into increasing the number of hip and knee replacements and cataract surgeries, no plans to increase staff or technical support.
• The number of recreational therapist positions in the personal care home units at Deer Lodge Centre will be slashed in half starting in January.
• Province opens its fifth RAAM clinic in Selkirk, which is open one day a week for 3 hours severely preventing the ability of addicts to access.
• A series of staffing reductions and a cut to recreation therapy at Deer Lodge will occur at the long-term care centre, a direct result of reduced Veterans affairs funding and the provincially mandated budget cuts.
• Government invests $3.8 million into St.Boniface Neonatal unit, MNU highlights this only covers minimum baseline staffing and doesn't consider the growing demand on the unit.
• St.Boniface Neonatal nurse sounds overtime alarm and the risks to patient care.
• Request for Proposal goes out for a new residential addictions facility opens door for further privatization.
• The Flin Flon General Hospital will be temporarily suspending obstetrical delivery services due to gaps in services.
• The provincial government will conduct a value-for-money audit of CancerCareMB, the report will not be released to the public and was only learned through a Freedom of Information Request.
• The Doctors of Lifeflight speak out against the potential privatization of the invaluable public service, say they will resign en masse if privatized.
• Minister Friesen maintains health care cuts are not just about saving money highlights a new communications strategy to help Manitobans understand the changes to health care.

October 2018

• Greyhound stops operations in Manitoba severely hindering access to care for Northern and Rural Manitobans.
• The call for a plan to tackle the meth crisis hit a new high, the government applied for funding from feds and lack of access to Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM).
• Hours of service reduced in Ste.Anne due to physician shortage.
• Neonatal St.Boniface nurses say patient safety at risk due to mandatory overtime hours.
• Manitobans face obstacles to access medical and surgical abortions more funded needed. 
• Deer Lodge Centre advises of staff reductions involving messengers, health care aides, rehab aides, the volunteer coordinator, personal care unit clerks and the nurse case manager in the day hospital.
• The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's budget was scrutinized over $36 million in impending cuts to health care. 
• 1,200 promised new personal care homes delayed.

 

September 2018

• Changes to ambulance service to cut costs, city maintains service level will not be impacted.
  
• Advanced care paramedics in a rural Manitoba health region will no longer be allowed to offer certain procedures because of a shift to intermediate-care practice. It is maintained the change is temporary however, no reinstatement date has been given.
• WRHA announces it will consolidate the mental health program at Health Sciences Centre, Victoria Hospital and St. Boniface Hospital by the end of 2018. Its surgery program will also be consolidated primarily between Grace Hospital, Concordia, HSC and St. Boniface.
• Wait times are releaseed by WRHA, they are relatively unchanged from this time last year.

 

August 2018

• Cameron Friesen is appointed the new Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living.
• July wait times are released; majority of wait times up with slight decreases at HSC and St. Boniface Hospital.

 

July 2018

• WRHA requests that personal care homes create proposals to reduce their budgets by another 0.25% this year, matching a 0.25% cut last year. That means the next round of budget restrictions is set to cost that group more than $100,000 over two years

• Provincial Government issues a request for proposals for private operation of the air service's Lifeflight air ambulance and general transport services.

February 2018

• The Special Drug Program (SDP) to transition onto Pharmacare. The move means people formerly on SDP will have to pay a deductible based on income for life-saving drugs

January 2018

• WRHA says it now only needs about 200 new beds a year between now and 2032. And has no plans to meet the nursing home requirements it says it needs to service an aging population and to implement recommendations from a provincial inquest.

December 2017

• WRHA eliminates the Vascular Access Team — a group of about 20 nurses who start and maintain IVs at the HSC — in response to provincial direction to cut costs in health care.
• St. Boniface Hospital left with nearly 100 empty clerk and health-care aide jobs following the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s labour adjustment strategy.

November 2017

• Personal Care Homes funding cut - $1 million
• Province freezes funding to the City of Winnipeg for Ambulance services

October 2017

• Misericordia Hospital closes
• Premier Pallister announces no health care premium in first term
• 40 nurses are laid off from Victoria Hospital as it converts into an Urgent Care Centre.
• Nurses at Winnipeg's Deer Lodge Centre have been told the equivalent of 15 full-time jobs will be cut from the long-term care and rehabilitation facility.
• Boissevain Health Centre and Westview Lodge in the Prairie Mountain Health Region, "disposable white, non-woven washcloths" are targeted for cost-cutting.

 

September 2017

• Premier Pallister considers health care premium
• HSC restructures - eliminated health care aides and support staff positions
• The emergency room in Selkirk, Man., scales back the hours of additional doctors on duty as the health region attempts to cut $7 million in spending to balance its budget.

 

August 2017

• Position deletion letters to be sent to 500 nurses.

 

July 2017

• The WRHA announces that Misericordia Urgent Care Centre will be closed overnight starting July 5, 2017 despite officials stating it would not shut down until October 2017
• The WRHA announces that four out of the five remaining QuickCare Clinics in Winnipeg will close bt the end of January 2018
• The Mature Women's Centre at Victoria General Hospital will close October 2017
• Adult physiotherapy and occupational therapy in the hospital is eliminated
• The Corydon Primary Care Clinic will close
• Some fees for long-term care patients are increased
• The WRHA cuts the position of Regional Director for occupational therapy
• The WRHA cuts two lactation consultants positions at the Women's Hospital
• Capped dispensing fees for pharmacare and a limit placed on claims for compound drugs
• The WRHA cuts two recreation therapist positions at Health Sciences Centre (HSC)
• The WRHA cuts two audiologists at HSC
• The WRHA cuts two clinical nurse specialists from HSC's burn and trauma units
• The WRHA cuts fifteen nurses from HSC who monitor and perform intravenous insertions
• Provincial Government changes how Manitoba health covers the preparation of some prescription medications by imposing a cap on pharmacy dispensing fees. Some patients reported an additional cost of approximately $1,500 a month to have medicine liquidized in order to take it. The total cut amounted to $11 million a year.

 

June 2017

• Provincial Government outsources private home care companies to provide services as part of their 'Healing our Health Care System' plan. 
• Provincial Government cuts $4.8 million from chiropractic care resulting in 5 fewer visits and coverage per visit reduced by $4.00
• 197 health care jobs are cut to comply with management reductions
• WRHA cut 132 positions
• Prairie Mountain Health cut 24
• Southern Health-Sante Sud cut 19
• Interlake-Eastern cut 19
• NRHA cut 7
  
• CancerCare cut 7
• Diagnostic Services Manitoba cut 7
• Addictions Foundation of Manitoba cut 1
• Provincial Government cuts Pharmacare coverage for blood glucose test strips for Manitobans with Type 1 Diabetes
• Provincial Government announces that 23 rural EMS stations will close affected communities such as Oak Lake (60km outside Brandon) voicing concerns about the cut.
• After more than 25 years, Salem Home in Winkler ends its Adult Day programming as Provincial cutbacks continue to hit Southern Health. The Adult Day Program offered recreation activities and congregate meal services for seniors in the community.

 

May 2017

• Provincial Government cancels a subsidy that offers affordable airfare to escorts of Northern Manitoban patients who fly to Winnipeg for medical appointments - $1 million

 

April 2017

• The Health Minister announces with the WRHA that the emergency rooms at Concordia Hospital, Victoria General Hospital and Seven Oaks Hospital
• The Urgent Care Centre at the Misericordia will also close.
• Provincial Government cancels program to bring more doctors to rural Manitoba, making it more difficult to attract and retain physicians in rural communities - $4.2 million 

 

March 2017

• The Health Minister announces budget cuts for Regional Health Authorities in 2017/18.
• The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's (WRHA) budget is cut by $83 million (5%) 
• The Northern Regional Health Authority's (NRHA) budget is cut by $6 million
• Prairie Mountain Health's budget is cut by $17.5 million (3%)
• Southern Health - Sante Sud's budget is cut by $11 million
• Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority is cut by $8 million
• The Provincial Government issues orders to Regional Health Authorities and Health Agencies to cut 15% (90 jobs) of management positions in 2017/18.
• WRHA Hospital Home Team program is cut
• MRI for Dauphin put on hold
• The Provincial Government cuts public health care to international students total cost $3 million.

 

February 2017

• Premier Pallister cancels over $1 billion in health care infrastructure projects.
• Cancelled projects include:
• A new facility for CancerCare Manitoba - $300 million
• A personal care home in Lac Du Bonnet - $32 million
• St. Vital primary care ACCESS clinic - $4.7 million
• The Pas primary care clinic - $3.5 million
• A new facility for Pan Am Clinic
• Concordia Wellness Centre
• An international centre for dignity and palliative care

 

January 2017

• The Health Minister announces that the St.Boniface Quick Care Clinic on St.Mary's will close.
• Manitoba Home Care Program name changes raises concerns about privatization

 

December 2016

• The Health Minister opens the door for private MRI's
• Manitoba releases report, 'The Future of Home Care Services in Manitoba'

 

November 2016

• The Health Minister advises Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) President that $650,000 used by MMF to employ 5 health staffers will be cut.

 

September 2016

• Manitoba considering private MRI's