Real RFDS soars to new heights

The latest annual patient and aviation statistics, released today by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS), reveal a total of 12,319 patients were flown to emergency or specialist care in the 2020-21 financial year.

While the Australian drama, RFDS, portrays fictional scenarios attended to by the Service, in reality our crews provide on average, 190 occasions of care each day.

More than 40,000 patients accessed RFDS primary health care services during the past year, including GP and nursing clinics, dental clinics and mental health clinics.

RFDS (Queensland Section) Chief Executive Officer Meredith Staib said she was immensely proud of the work delivered by staff each and every day.

“It’s been another big year for the RFDS, as demonstrated by the incredible volume of work we’ve performed,” she said.

“The RFDS, working closely in collaboration with Commonwealth and State departments, also delivered more than 1,800 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to 25 rural and remote communities in the past financial year.

“Administration of the vaccine is an extension of our primary health care work and one that we have been pleased to support.”

During the 2020/21 financial year, the RFDS Dental Service team delivered oral healthcare to 1,561 patients. Mental health clinicians delivered 12,156 consultations across the RFDS mental health and wellbeing teams.

RFDS pilots flew a total of 24,279 hours over 8.3 million kilometres, landing 22,587 times.

Ms Staib said the RFDS remained unwavering in its mission to deliver the finest care to the furthest corner of the state.

"For more than 93 years the RFDS has helped rural and remote Queenslanders overcome the tyranny of distance to access healthcare services. Our efforts over the past year demonstrate our commitment to ensuring continuity of this service well into the future.”

The television series RFDS screens Wednesday evenings at 8:40pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.