Royal Flying Doctor Service in SA & NT
Contributed by Kate Hannon, Media & Communications Manager, RFDS Central Operations
Every day in South Australia and the NT the Royal Flying Doctor Service flies an average of 43 flights conducting emergency evacuations, patient hospital transfers, primary health care clinics, Remote Oral Health clinics and the Rural Women’s GP Service. That means contact with an average of 131 patients a day for people living, working and travelling in rural and remote SA and the NT.
Founded 86 years ago by the Reverend John Flynn, RFDS operates 63 aircraft from 21 bases and five health facilities throughout Australia. Nationally, RFDS assists more than 280,000 Australians every year – that’s one person every two minutes.
In the RFDS Central Operations area which covers SA and most of the NT, we operate 14 Pilatus PC-12 aircraft from our bases in Adelaide, Port Augusta and Alice Springs. We also have a health facility in Marree.
As well as our traditional role in emergency aeromedical evacuations, we conduct regular primary health clinics for communities along the Birdsville Track in the north-east of SA and in the Gawler Ranges and North-West Pastoral areas as well as to all of our regions from Eyre Peninsula to the South-East.
While supported by government, RFDS relies on bequests, fundraising initiatives and donations to purchase and medically-equip its aircraft – at a cost of $6 million each.
It may come as a surprise to learn that the RFDS doesn’t only look after people in the bush. In fact, one in every 20 patients flown interstate for a lifesaving organ transplant or other specialist surgery has an Adelaide postcode. To find out more or how to make a donation find us at www.flyingdoctor.net
