Community transport services provided by the Royal Flying Doctor Service in the Heathcote district.
Going above for the health of the Goulburn Valley.
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Whether it’s in the air, on the ground, or over the airwaves, the Flying Doctor is going above for the Goulburn Valley community.
For almost a century, the Royal Flying Doctor Service has been breaking down distance as a barrier to health care by connecting Australians with the services they need, wherever they live.
In the Goulburn Valley, the charity’s aeromedical services are complemented by a growing fleet of road vehicles that provide non-emergency patient transfers and community transport, which helps people without access to transportation get to and from essential medical, specialist and social welfare appointments.
Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria chief executive Associate-Professor Michael Ben-Meir said the organisation had a special relationship with the local community.
“Regional cities like Shepparton and surrounding towns are home to many of the industries that underpin our state’s economy, including agriculture and food production, so we need them to be healthy and thriving,” he said.
“Yet many of these communities don’t have ready access to local doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers.
“This is not simply an inconvenience; it can take years of a person’s life.”
In an attempt to bridge the gap, the Flying Doctor Community Transport in Cobram and Numurkah connects vulnerable residents with essential health care in Shepparton. Over the past three years, it has undertaken more than 19,000 trips, making it among the busiest hubs in the state.
It has conducted a further 4500 non-emergency patient transfers in partnership with Ambulance Victoria and hundreds of remote specialist consults, connecting patients with cardiologists, psychiatry and diabetes specialists.
Michael said these services were only possible thanks to strong community support.
“At the heart of all of the Flying Doctor services is a simple belief: people living in regional communities deserve access to the same level of health care as those in the city,” he said.
“We think it’s really important to listen to the communities we serve, to find out what they really need and design the practical solutions that keep people connected to care.
“As a result, the Flying Doctor has enjoyed strong support in the Goulburn Valley, where we have more than 25,000 generous donors.
“Thanks to their support, the Flying Doctor is showing that the sky is not the limit when it comes to ‘going above’ for those in the community who need us.”
The Royal Flying Doctor Service can be found at site HH. 21, on the east side of the Health Hub.
The RFDS provides services in rural areas both on the ground and in the air.
Photo by
Vittorio
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