What We Do
The services provided by RFDS are as follows :
- 24 hours Emergency Service:
- Provision of emergency health services to victims of illness or accident who are in a serious or potentially life threatening condition.
Primary Healthcare Clinics at Remote Sites:
Regular clinics at isolated sites conducted by RFDS doctors, flight nurses and other specialised health professionals and in some cases State health practitioners. Services include but are not limited to routine health checks and advice, immunisation, child health care, dental, eye and ear clinics.
Radio and Phone Consultations:
Consultation by doctors and nurses and other specialised health professionals, by radio or telephone with people at remote locations.
Communication:
The provision of radio communication through RFDS radio bases. With the advent of the telephone to the outback this role is declining.
Medical Chests:
Over 3500 RFDS medical chests containing an extensive range of numbered drugs and medical supplies are located at remote locations across Australia, such as isolated pastoral properties, Indigenous communities, out-stations, remote mining sites and lighthouses.
Inter Hospital Transfers:
Patients are transferred between small rural and remote area hospitals and larger metropolitan hospitals.
Facts at a Glance:
For the year ended 30 June 2007
Service Area km2 - 7,150,000
|
Daily Average |
Year
|
| Patients attended |
665 |
242,547 |
| Aeromedical Evacuations |
96 |
35,089 {1) |
| Healthcare Clinics |
34 |
12,247 |
| Distance Flown (kms) |
59,492 |
21,714,595 |
| Number of Landings |
178 |
65,074 |
| Telehealth |
207 |
75,439 |
| Number of Aircraft |
- |
47 |
| RFDS Bases |
- |
21 {2) |
| RFDS Health Facilities |
- |
6 {3) |
| RFDS Other Facilities |
- |
4 {4) |
| Staff |
|
705 {5) |
{1) Includes hospital tranfers
{2) RFDS Base is a health facility that houses an aircraft and provides health services
{3) RFDS Health Facility is a health facilty that does not have an aircraft but provides health services
{4) RFDS Other Facilities include marketing, fundraising and public relations as well as the National Office
{5) Includes 155 part-time and casual staff
The aim of the RFDS throughout Australia is to provide services to improve the health of the people living in the bush. The level of health services provided in rural and remote communities is less than their urban counterparts. Therefore the people in the ‘bush’ have poorer access to, and use of health care services which can lead to a lower health status for these people.
The Sections and the geographical area that constitute the RFDS across Australia are:
|
RFDS Sections and Entities
|
Operational Areas
|
| Queensland Section |
Queensland |
| Central Operations |
South Australia |
| Northern Territory |
| South Eastern Section |
New South Wales |
| Victoria |
| Tasmania |
| Western Operations |
Western Australia |
| Victorian Section |
Victoria |
| Tasmanian Section |
Tasmania |