# 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.
The NRHA covers the largest geographical area of the 5 regional health authorities (RHAs) in Manitoba, spanning over 396,000 km$^2$ (153,000 sq mi), or nearly two-thirds of the province. It was formed in 2012 by the merger of the former NOR-MAN and Burntwood Regional Health Authorities.
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. The NRHA maintains offices in each of its three major centres: Flin Flon, The Pas, and Thompson.

## 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 km$^2$ (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.
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).
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'. According to Manitoba Health's 2012 census, about 40% of the region's residents live on reserves while the remaining 60% live off-reserve.
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.
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.

## Facilities

The NRHA maintains offices in each of its three major centres: Flin Flon, The Pas, and Thompson.
| Location | Location | Hospital (acute care beds) | Health centre | Other sites |
| Place | Reserve | Hospital (acute care beds) | Health centre | Other sites |
| 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 | Flin Flon Personal Care Home Northern Lights Manor Flin Flon Clinic |
| — | 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 |
| 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 | | | Nisichawayasihk Personal Care Home Nursing Station |
| Norway House | | | | Nursing station Pinaow Wachi Ltd. Personal Care Home |
| Opaskwayak Cree Nation | Opaskwayak Cree Nation | | Beatrice Wilson Health Centre | McGillivary Care Home |
| Oxford House | Bunibonibee | | | George Colon Memorial Home Inc. Nursing station |
| The Pas | | St. Anthony’s General Hospital (40) | The Pas Primary Health Care Centre | St. Paul’s Personal Care Home Rosaire House Addiction Centre The Pas Clinic Fischer Avenue Clinic |
| Pikwitonei | | | | Nursing station |
| Pukatawagan | Mathias Colomb | | | Nursing station |
| Red Sucker Lake | Red Sucker Lake FN | | | Nursing station |
| Shamattawa First Nation | Shamattawa First Nation | | | Nursing station |
| Sherridon | | | Sherridon Health Centre | |
| Snow Lake | | | Snow Lake Health Centre | |
| South Indian Lake | O-Pipon-Na-Piwin | | | Nursing station |
| Split Lake | Tataskweyak | | | Nursing station |
| St. Theresa Point First Nation | St. Theresa Point First Nation | | | Nursing station |
| Tadoule Lake | Sayisi | | | Nursing station |
| Thicket Portage | | | Health Centre | |
| Thompson | | Thompson General Hospital (79) | Thompson Public Health | Acute Brain Injury House Hope North Recovery Centre for Youth Northern Consultation Clinic Northern Spirit Manor Thompson Clinic |
| Wasagamack | Wasagamack FN | | | Nursing station |
| Wabowden | | | Wabowden Community Health Centre | |
| York Factory First Nation | York Factory First Nation | | | |