Why are there no general surgeons in Flin Flon?

The general surgeon left Flin Flon General Hospital in March 2020, and a replacement has not yet been secured despite ongoing recruitment efforts.

What happens if Flin Flon patients need emergency surgery?

Patients needing surgery are typically directed to The Pas, or medically evacuated via air ambulance, though weather can significantly delay or cancel these critical transports.

How does the lack of surgery services affect Flin Flon residents?

Residents must travel long distances for care, which can be financially burdensome and may lead some to forgo necessary medical treatment.

Home / Health / Flin Flon's Surgery Void: 5 Years of Precarious Care

Flin Flon's Surgery Void: 5 Years of Precarious Care

14 Dec, 2025

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Summary

General surgery services have been absent at Flin Flon General Hospital since March 2020.
Air ambulance services face potential delays or cancellations due to weather conditions.
Lack of local surgical services forces residents to travel long distances for care.

Residents in Flin Flon, northwestern Manitoba, are facing a critical healthcare deficit with the ongoing absence of general surgery services at their local hospital. This void has persisted for over five years, since the hospital's sole general surgeon departed in March 2020. The situation leaves patients with potentially life-saving procedures needing to travel considerable distances, a journey that is often arduous and complicated by severe weather conditions common in the region.

The Northern Health Region suggests travel to The Pas, approximately 110 kilometers away, for services. However, the risk of medical evacuation delays or cancellations due to adverse weather is significant, as air ambulance operations are constrained by Transport Canada's visibility and cloud clearance thresholds. This reliance on distant facilities and weather-dependent transport raises serious concerns about timely access to care.