- Cook Government invests more than $800 million over 10 years to expand aeromedical services in Western Australia
- Landmark agreement puts country patients front and centre ensuring aeromedical care is available when and where it's needed most
- New contract sees over 21 FTE increase to frontline staff including pilots and clinical teams
- Embeds Royal Flying Doctor Service WA in State-based operations for more effective and responsive patient transfers
The Cook Government has ushered in a new era of aeromedical services in regional Western Australia, signing a new 10-year contract with the Royal Flying Doctor Service WA (RFDS WA) worth more than $800 million.
The contemporised contract places the patient journey front and centre and ensures a modern, streamlined approach to service delivery incorporating the most up-to-date clinical and aviation standards.
Importantly, the milestone investment delivers an increase in frontline staffing of more than 21 FTE including doctors, nurses, and pilots - aiding in the delivery of care to the furthest corners of the State.
It also provides increased capacity based out of RFDS WA's Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland bases.
Building upon existing partnerships with WA Country Health Service (WACHS) and St John Ambulance WA, the modernised agreement also prioritises the sharing of data and resources between agencies to improve response capabilities and performance.
Under this arrangement, specialist medical and nursing staff from WACHS will work with operations staff from transport providers and use real-time data to co-ordinate patient transfers more effectively.
Enhanced Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have also been embedded in the contract with a focus on making sure patient transport is available when and where it's needed most.
RFDS WA and WACHS currently work together to coordinate more than 7,500 inter-hospital patient transfers each year.
It is expected the State Government's State Health Operations Centre (SHOC) will further enable enhanced patient transfers supporting service delivery.
Comments attributed to Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"We are investing more than $800 million into an agreement that has been developed with Western Australians front of mind. We want to ensure care will be available to them when and where they need it most.
"It's a milestone 10-year contract that will deliver a more cohesive, streamlined, integrated transport service that has been specifically designed in the best interest of country patients.
"It provides a clear roadmap for aeromedical patient transport services now and into the future and importantly, includes an uplift of more than 21 FTE in frontline staff including doctors, nurses, and pilots.
"Royal Flying Doctor Service WA plays an important role in supporting the delivery of care to country communities - this contract enshrines the need for those services to be delivered in partnership with the rest of the health system.
"The Cook Government is committed to working together with our partners to improve health outcomes for people in the bush."
