There is some frustration in Roblin over the decision to relocate some diagnostic and emergency services out of town.
Volunteers with the Roblin Clinic Board took it upon themselves to begin recruiting more lab technicians, in response to concerns that their diagnostic and emergency services could be shut down due to staff shortages.
Sean Keeler, the board’s president, says they found an x-ray technician and a lab technician who were interested in moving to Roblin.
Despite the board’s attempt to fill the positions in Roblin, they were told by health authorities that the priority for seven vacant positions would be given to Russell and Shoal Lake, before Roblin.
The emergency department in Roblin will be shut down until further notice as of Friday, September 4, at 4 p.m. This follows the news from last week that two lab technicians from Roblin are being relocated to the Russell Health Centre.
A release from Prairie Mountain Health states a number of clinical services remain available at the Roblin District Health Centre, including in-patient care. Diagnostic services such as ultrasounds, ECG exams and phlebotomy (lab sample collection, including blood samples) are also available. Hours of operation in Roblin will be 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew will be in Roblin on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. holding a socially distanced town hall with local residents upset over the provincial government's decision to move diagnostic services out of the community. CKDM reporters will be there to hear more from Kinew.
CKDM has reached out to Prairie Mountain Health for comment.
