COVID-19 Aeromedical Retrievals

In Western Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has been part of the COVID-19 response from the very beginning. 

Our COVID-19 response has been swift and collaborative. 

We developed an evolving best practice COVID-19 Clinical Guideline, mobilised our team of doctors, flight nurses, pilots and logisticians to support the State effort to meet the challenge of our times. 

In February 2020, our aeromedical teams stood up for the retrieval of the Diamond Princess cruise ship patients and transferred them back to our Jandakot base to specialist care in Perth. 

Since then, we have safely transferred 125 suspected and 9 confirmed COVID-19 patients without incident. 

We continue to work closely with our health partners across the network to actively plan and monitor COVID-19 developments. 

We maintain adequate PPE stocks and other preparations to ensure we are ready to respond to surges in demand.