Northern Regional Health Authority
The Northern Regional Health Authority (NRHA) is the governing body responsible for healthcare delivery and regulation for the Northern Health Region (NHR)—specifically northern Manitoba, excluding Churchill.[1]
| Health authority overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 2012 |
| Type | Regional health authority |
| Jurisdiction | northern Manitoba |
| Headquarters | Flin Flon, The Pas, and Thompson |
| Annual budget | $ 220 m CAD (2020) |
| Health authority executives |
|
| Key documents | |
| Website | northernhealthregion |
The NRHA covers the largest geographical area of the 5 regional health authorities (RHAs) in Manitoba, spanning over 396,000 km2 (153,000 sq mi), or nearly two-thirds of the province.[2] It was formed in 2012 by the merger of the former NOR-MAN and Burntwood Regional Health Authorities.[1][2]
Within the region, there are 2 cities, 6 towns, 1 rural municipality, 1 local government district, and numerous unorganized territories made up of hamlets and cottage settlements; as well as 26 First Nations communities and 16 Northern Affairs communities.[2] The NRHA maintains offices in each of its three major centres: Flin Flon, The Pas, and Thompson.[2]
Communities
Accounting for just below 6% of the provincial population, the Northern Health Region has a population of 74,175 people. With an area of over 396,000 km2 (153,000 sq mi), the region has a population density of 0.18 persons per km²—compared to 2.19 persons per km² for the entire province of Manitoba.[2]
The region has a young population with a median age of 26 (compared to Manitoba at 37), and nearly one in three residents (30%) of the region are under the age of 15 (compared to 19% of Manitoba residents). Contrastly, 6.1% of Northern Region residents are age 65 and older (compared to 14.1% of Manitobans).[2]
Within the region, there are:
- 2 cities (Thompson and Flin Flon)
- 6 towns (The Pas, Gillam, Grand Rapids, Leaf Rapids, Lynn Lake, and Snow Lake)
- 1 rural municipality (Kelsey)
- 1 local government district (Mystery Lake)
- 26 First Nations communities
- 16 Northern Affairs communities
- Numerous unorganized territories made up of hamlets and cottage settlements (e.g. Norway House)
Indigenous communities
The NRHA serves 26 First Nations communities, or 'reserves'.[2] According to Manitoba Health's 2012 census, about 40% of the region's residents live on reserves while the remaining 60% live off-reserve.[2]
However, residents frequently travel on and off reserve and access health services in both locations. In addition to issues of gaps in patient follow-ups and on-going continuity of care, having more than one health-services provider—First Nation Inuit Health (FNIH) for on-reserve services and the Region for off-reserve services—can cause confusion among residents in terms of accessing care.[3]
There are over a dozen additional First Nations communities that the NRHA serves; a challenge for the NRHA is that many of these First Nations communities do not have year-round all-weather road access, with many of these First Nations communities relying on rail, boat, and/or air service to travel. This limited access has significant implications on the health of the residents.
Per the 2006 Census, over two-thirds (67.4%) of residents self-identify as "Aboriginal." Residents of the Northern Health Region account for 81% of Manitoba residents who report speaking an Aboriginal language; just below one-third of residents (31.9%) report speaking at least one Aboriginal language compared to only 6% of Manitobans overall.[2]
Facilities
The NRHA maintains offices in each of its three major centres: Flin Flon, The Pas, and Thompson.[2]
| Location[4] | Hospital
(acute care beds) |
Health centre | Other sites | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Reserve | |||
| Brochet | Barren Lands | Nursing station | ||
| Cormorant | Cormorant Health Care Centre | |||
| Cranberry Portage | Cranberry Portage Wellness Centre | |||
| Cross Lake | Pimicikamak | Nursing station | ||
| Easterville | Provincial nursing station | |||
| Flin Flon | Flin Flon General Hospital (34) | Flin Flon Primary Health Care Centre |
| |
| — | Garden Hill | Nursing station | ||
| Gillam | Gillam Hospital (7) | Gillam Public Health | ||
| Gods Lake | God's Lake FN | Nursing station | ||
| God’s River | Manto Sipi | |||
| Grand Rapids | Misipawistik | |||
| Ilford | Ilford Community Health Centre | |||
| Lac Brochet | Northlands | Nursing station[lower-roman 1] | ||
| Leaf Rapids | Leaf Rapids Health Centre | |||
| Lynn Lake | Lynn Lake Hospital (11) | Lynn Lake Public Health | ||
| Moose Lake | Mosakahiken | Provincial nursing station | ||
| Nelson House | Nisichawayasihk |
| ||
| Norway House |
| |||
| Opaskwayak Cree Nation | Beatrice Wilson Health Centre | McGillivary Care Home | ||
| Oxford House | Bunibonibee |
| ||
| The Pas | St. Anthony’s General Hospital (40) | The Pas Primary Health Care Centre |
| |
| Pikwitonei | Nursing station | |||
| Pukatawagan | Mathias Colomb | Nursing station | ||
| Red Sucker Lake | Red Sucker Lake FN | Nursing station | ||
| Shamattawa First Nation | Nursing station[lower-roman 1] | |||
| Sherridon | Sherridon Health Centre | |||
| Snow Lake | Snow Lake Health Centre | |||
| South Indian Lake | O-Pipon-Na-Piwin | Nursing station[lower-roman 1] | ||
| Split Lake | Tataskweyak | Nursing station | ||
| St. Theresa Point First Nation | Nursing station | |||
| Tadoule Lake | Sayisi | Nursing station[lower-roman 1] | ||
| Thicket Portage | Health Centre | |||
| Thompson | Thompson General Hospital (79) | Thompson Public Health |
| |
| Wasagamack | Wasagamack FN | Nursing station | ||
| Wabowden | Wabowden Community Health Centre | |||
| York Factory First Nation | ||||
References
- "Health authorities agree to mergers". Winnipeg Free Press. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- "About Us – Northern Health Region". Retrieved 2021-02-07.
- 2019-20 NRHA Annual Report
- "Our Locations – Northern Health Region". Retrieved 2021-02-07.
Notes
- First Nation Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)