A RFDS Pilatus aircraft. The new deal with SA is expected to halve response times. Picture: RFDS
THE Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has received a $509m funding boost from the South Australian government.
The government says the 10-year $509.4m deal will enable the RFDS to increase flights out of Adelaide Airport.
The service will operate four aircraft in the day and three overnight with a new dedicated emergency response aircraft.
It is expected to more than halve response times and increase RFDS frontline staff numbers by 23 such as nurses, pilots, engineers, clinical support and operations communications staff.
Two dedicated nurses will be based 24/7 at the Adelaide Patient Transfer Facility to care for patients and allow flight nurses to head out when needed.
SA Health Minister Chris Picton says the deal will mean a faster response time for regional patients.
“This huge new investment means patients in emergencies in our regions will be able to be retrieved for life-saving care faster than ever before,” he says.
Under the deal, new KPI targets will more than halve the response time for take-offs by Priority 1 and 2 regional aircraft and hospital transfers.
The KPI requires RFDS aircraft to get in the air within 20 minutes of an emergency alert compared to 45 minutes at present.
The rapid response capability will allow SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) to transfer patients from metropolitan hospitals closer to home and ensure quicker access to care.
MEDICAL RESPONSE
SAAS Chief Executive Officer Rob Elliott says their MedSTAR retrieval clinicians and the RFDS currently do about five fixed-wing flights and co-ordinate 15-20 inter-hospital transfers each day.
“This contract will streamline our operations, allowing our inter-hospital transfer and retrieval services to function more efficiently, ensuring that both types of patients are managed effectively and without delays,” he says.
RFDS SA/NT Chairman Peter de Cure AM says the new deal provides long-term security.
“The financial support and operational funding provided by the government provides long-term security and a commitment to an enhanced level of serviceability which will benefit regional patients,” he says.
He also says RFDS will bring more than $100 million to the deal as well.
According to government, each flight will be staffed with RFDS nurses for inter-hospital transfers or SAAS MedSTAR critical care teams (doctors, nurses and/or paramedics) for retrieval.
There will also be new KPIs to monitor and ensure aircraft availability, case volumes and maintenance with a dedicated contract and relationship manager to ensure targets are met.
SAAS MedSTAR and RFDS conduct about 7400 interhospital transfers and retrievals annually.
The co-branded RFDS Pilatus aircraft will take to the skies this week with more due to be in operation by December.
