Just over two weeks after doctors who provide services to Manitoba’s Lifeflight program said they would quit working on private planes by January 1, 2019, if Manitoba did not immediately hire more pilots the province has begun the hiring process.
On Thursday, December 13, 2018, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler announced that two new pilots would be hired and $750,000 in maintenance would be performed on the two Citation Jets owned by the province.
Two additional pilots will bring the compliment to eight.
[jaw_quote author=”Cameron Friesen – Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister” ]We are committed to patient and provider safety[/jaw_quote][jaw_clear]
The Pallister Government announced earlier this year that they were looking for alternative ways to deliver the emergency air ambulance service to northern Manitoba. Currently, the province uses two provincially owned jets and five private air carriers licensed to provide the emergency medical service.
“Our government’s top priority is ensuring that safety and service standards remain high, and these steps will assure Manitobans that those standards will remain in place while the request for proposals process (RFP) proceeds,” Schuler said.
The province says that the final determination on the RFP process to possibly contract out the service is not expected for some time.
“We have always said that we will not proceed with changes to the current service delivery model if the RFP does not result in an outcome that is at least as safe and efficient,” said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen.
© 2018 News 4
.
