The Morrison Government and the Royal Flying Doctor Service will enter into a record 10-year strategic partnership, worth nearly $1 billion, to provide more certainty for remote patients who rely on the critical aeromedical service.
Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said this historic partnership will provide long-term security to enable this iconic Australian rural and remote service to plan better into the future.
He said Far North Queenslanders, especially those living in Cape York and the Torres Strait, would benefit immensely from this partnership.
“This new partnership recognises the vital role the Royal Flying Doctor Service plays in the lives of Australians,” Mr Entsch said.
“It also gives the Royal Flying Doctor Service much more certainty to plan for the future and continue to deliver aeromedical retrievals, primary health care and dental and mental health outreach clinics to rural and remote patients.
“This is particularly important in communities throughout Cape York and the Torres Strait where healthcare provided by the Royal Flying Doctor Service could literally be a matter of life or death.”
Mr Entsch said to support the partnership the Morrison Government is delivering additional funding of more than $80 million over the next 10 years.
“This builds on the Morrison Government’s commitment to the Royal Flying Doctor Service of $327 million since 2018-19,” he said.
“This funding has enabled the RFDS to undertake thousands of aeromedical evacuations, primary health clinics, dental outreach and multidisciplinary mental health outreach services to some of our most remote citizens.
“The new funding agreement will begin from 1 July 2022, and it is expected the Ten-Year Strategic Agreement will be in place soon after.
“The new formal agreement will give the Royal Flying Doctor Service certainty and allow it to offer more flexible services that are responsive to local patient’s needs.
Mr Entsch said expanded and continued support for the Royal Flying Doctor Service means better overall health management and preventive health care is available for patients across Far North Queensland.
“The Morrison Government is delivering the most comprehensive investment in rural health of any modern era government,” he said.
“This announcement is just another way we are supporting the health of rural and remote Australians.”
