ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE

Transcription

1 ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE OUR FACILITIES Jandakot Derby Meekatharra Derby Airport 143 Derby Airport Road Derby WA 6728 Meekatharra Airport Airport Road Meekatharra WA 6642 T F T F Broome Kalgoorlie Port Hedland Broome International Airport Gus Winckel Drive Broome WA 6725 Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport Hart Kerspien Drive Kalgoorlie WA 6430 Port Hedland Airport Waldron Drive Port Hedland WA 6721 T F T F T F Facility & Corporate Office 3 Eagle Drive Jandakot Airport Jandakot WA 6164 T F E westops@rfdswa.com.au flyingdoctor.org.au/wa

2 MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR ALL WESTERN AUSTRALIANS. CONTENTS Jan and Eliza s Story A Word from the CEO Our Services Broome Sets the Pace for Service Growth in the Kimberley A New Era Begins 2016/17 Snapshot Chad s Story A Day in the Life of the RFDS Phil s Story Anya s Story Fundraising: The Flying Doctor Pride of Australia Be Part of a New Era Our Supporters

3 We decided to move to the Pilbara for work and family lifestyle but we did wonder about access to emergency healthcare if we needed it. JAN AND ELIZA S STORY WORKING IN WA Western Australia boasts enviable career and lifestyle experiences across the state. Opportunities for professions, trades and education are attracting an increasing number of life-changers from Perth, interstate and overseas. Jan and her husband both secured career opportunities with Rio Tinto on the Pilbara coast. Jan is part of Rio Tinto s Community Engagement team, and is working with locals to determine the company s best investment activities to benefit the local towns. Jan reflects on their decision to move to the Pilbara which wasn t without hesitation. We decided to move to the Pilbara for work and family lifestyle but we did wonder about access to emergency healthcare if we needed it. On Mother s Day this year, Jan and her daughter Eliza experienced first-hand the emergency response of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Eliza, just seven years old, was involved in a serious bicycle collision. An assessment at Nickol Bay Hospital in Karratha determined she had sustained internal injuries and required an escalation of care. 5 The RFDS Port Hedland crew was immediately deployed. The team included an RFDS doctor and nurse to attend to Eliza s condition en route to Princess Margaret Hospital. The medical team were able to utilise the aircraft s state-of-the-art Aero Medical equipment to help stabilise Eliza s condition by administering fluid resuscitation, oxygen therapy and monitoring of her vital signs. Flying Doctor Service will be there, wherever and whenever you need us. We rely on your donations to ensure we can continue to service the people of Western Australia. Please help to keep us in the air by donating at flyingdoctor.org.au/wa Eliza stayed at PMH for almost three weeks and made a full recovery before returning home to the Pilbara. RFDS AERO MEDICAL TEAMS ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST QUALIFIED MEDICAL EXPERTS IN THE COUNTRY. THEY CAN RESPOND TO ANY EMERGENCY, AT ANY TIME, AND ANYWHERE. Given the unpredictable nature of emergencies and the breadth of WA s population, RFDS doctors and nurses acquire additional postgraduate training, such as paediatric life support care and midwifery. KARRATHA PERTH Whether your family lives or works between city or country, the Royal 6

4 A WORD FROM THE CEO For generations of Western Australians, city to country, the RFDS is an essential part of daily life and a local icon. For 82 years, we have contributed to the state s story, growth and pride. In recent years, significant population growth and demographic change in WA has had a direct influence on our business. More people are choosing to live, work and travel across the state, impacting the demand for our service. More than ever, we must be agile to change, and drive commercially viable solutions to sustain our future growth. 7 This year, our strategic focus on capability achieved a critical milestone with the launch of our new stateof-the-art aviation and engineering facility at Jandakot. It is a crucial asset to our infrastructure that will enable the expansion of our fleet and employ world-class engineering systems. Importantly, its completion means we are on target for the highly anticipated arrival of two new Pilatus PC-24 jets in 2018 a world first for Aero Medical services. We also celebrated important milestones at our Kalgoorlie and Broome facilities. This year Kalgoorlie marked 80 years of operations and service to the Goldfields and southeastern regions. The RFDS shares a rich history with the communities in the area, and has played an active role in the growth of the region today. In May, our new Broome facility celebrated its first year of operations. We reached over 1,000 patients in the first year, highlighting our successful response to changes in patient demand in the Kimberley region. In our continued pursuit of excellence, the RFDS and Edith Cowan University launched a Graduate Diploma in Aero Medical Retrieval. The new course will provide future RFDS doctors and nurses with the necessary skills and expertise to provide patients with the very best in-flight care. my sincere thanks to our Chairman, Neville Bassett, who departs the RFDS leaving a legacy of leadership and passion for the advancement of Aero Medical care in WA. Neville contributed 30 years to the RFDS, including nine as Chairman. As we work towards the future, we remain committed to delivering on our promise to provide the very best Aero Medical care to all Western Australians, wherever and whenever they need us. This could not be achieved without the professionalism, commitment and tireless dedication of our staff across the state. It is an exciting time for the RFDS, as we countdown to a history-making It will herald a new era in Aero Medical service and ensure Western Australian communities can continue to change and grow supported by our world-class essential service. I d also like to acknowledge the generosity and participation of our supporters, volunteers, community and corporate partners. Their contribution enables us to build and strengthen our services to reach and treat people from all corners of WA. On behalf of our board, management, staff and patients, I wish to extend Grahame Marshall Chief Executive Officer Royal Flying Doctor Service, Western Australia 8

5 Over the past 12 months, the RFDS has touched the lives of over 27,000 people through Aero Medical retrievals and patient clinics, and assisted a further 38,483 through our telehealth service. OUR SERVICES In Western Australia alone, the RFDS services an area of over 2.5 million square kilometres, with 16 aircraft and six operating facilities. The RFDS also delivers a range of primary healthcare services across the state. EMERGENCY AERO MEDICAL RETRIEVALS Each year, the RFDS responds to thousands of sick and injured people across Western Australia for who the right medical attention is far from reach. Each aircraft is fitted with advanced ICU equipment, enabling RFDS doctors and nurses to provide in-flight medical care. TELEHEALTH Over 38,000 calls were received in the past year for medical advice and assistance, as well as radio and video linked medical consultations with an RFDS doctor. These calls came from people living, working and travelling across WA, where access to medical assistance was limited or non-existent. MEDICAL CHESTS Currently, over 500 Medical Chests are located around the state, supported by the RFDS. They contain a range of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical items for emergency treatment, pain relief, and preparation for evacuation from remote locations. GP CLINICS AND DENTAL SERVICES Dental health and general practice clinics are conducted around the state, bringing routine check-ups and treatment to remote and rural areas with limited or no access to these services. INTER-HOSPITAL PATIENT TRANSPORT The RFDS provides Aero Medical care and transport for sick and injured patients to hospital facilities within WA, as well as interstate when required. 9 10

6 BROOME SETS THE PACE FOR SERVICE GROWTH IN THE KIMBERLEY In May, the Royal Flying Doctor Service marked its first anniversary in Broome, retrieving over 1,000 patients since its launch. The first year results highlight an effective response to the demand for Aero Medical services in the Kimberley region as well as the importance of connectivity to peer services in Broome. Just a year on from its official opening, the Broome facility has certainly demonstrated its value. It has allowed the RFDS to get to patients more quickly, operate more efficiently with reduced flight times, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for people living, working or travelling in the region. When it opened on the 11th May last year, the Broome facility became the Flying Doctor s first new Aero Medical facility in Western Australia in 50 years. Of the 1,000 patients retrieved or evacuated from the Broome region in the past 12 months, the majority were suffering injury from causes such as workplace or motor vehicle accidents, or from poisoning, including snake bites or spider bites. RFDS Chief Executive Officer Grahame Marshall said demand for the RFDS life-saving services had increased significantly over the past five years and Broome was now its busiest patient transport hub in the north of the state. With its 15-strong crew of doctors, nurses and pilots, and new stateof-the-art patient treatment centre, the RFDS in Broome has delivered much needed capacity to respond to emergencies throughout the Kimberley and Pilbara. The Broome facility has also been designed to accommodate the RFDS new Pilatus PC-24 jets when the two aircraft join the fleet next year. The RFDS provides emergency care, life-saving outcomes, and health treatment and advice to more than 60,000 people in WA every year. It has been providing the finest care to the furthest corners of the state for more than 80 years. Just a year on from its official opening, the Broome facility has certainly demonstrated its value. It has allowed us to get to patients more quickly, operate more efficiently with reduced flight times, and ultimately deliver better outcomes

7 A NEW ERA BEGINS NEW AVIATION AND ENGINEERING FACILITY MARKS A NEW ERA FOR THE RFDS A new state-of-the-art aviation and engineering facility at Jandakot has signalled the start of a new era for the Flying Doctor. Its completion in June marked a crucial first milestone in our masterplan to boost future logistics and service capability. In recent years, significant population growth and demographic change has seen more people choosing to live, work and travel across the state impacting on the demand for our service. The next generation facility is a crucial asset, and will enable the expansion of our fleet, supported by world-class engineering systems, to meet current and future demand. The purpose-designed space feels like a step into the future, with its imposing 1,300m2 hangar and bright white interior throughout. In all, it took 12 months to build and fit out the space, with features including digital-based systems, offices and storage. The major project was made possible through a $3.9 million grant from Lotterywest and the generosity of people from all corners of the state making it a truly Western Australian investment in our future. Importantly, completion of the hangar means we are on target for the anticipated arrival of two new Pilatus PC-24 jets in 2018 a world first for Aero Medical services. These jets will be a true game changer, freeing up resources and enabling us to reach more people and communities faster than ever before. Almost twice as fast as our current fleet of PC-12s, the PC-24s can travel further, more quickly, with fewer stops, and land on shorter runways than any other jet in the world. They can carry up to three stretchered patients in addition to Aero Medical staff and equipment, which is greater than the two patient capacity of the PC-12. The arrival of the jets next year will be a history making event for the RFDS and Aero Medical services globally. It is a celebration we look forward to sharing with all Western Australians.

8 2016/17 SNAPSHOT 6 15,648 AERO MEDICAL OPERATING FACILITIES PATIENTS ATTENDING CLINICS 16 15,886 RFDS AIRCRAFT LANDINGS 1,813 38,483 HEALTHCARE CLINICS TELEHEALTH CONSULTATIONS 8,330 7,634,000 PATIENTS FLOWN KILOMETRES FLOWN TOTAL SERVICE AREA (KM2) 2,500,

9 CHAD S STORY LIVING IN WA We never expect our family will have to face life-threatening situations. We certainly don t expect it to happen more than once in a lifetime, or to more than one of our loved ones. For the Sawyer family, this became a reality. her son had been taken into the care of the RFDS and transported to Royal Perth. She immediately began the 4.5 hour drive to Perth. The whole event still seems surreal to Anne. She had been told that RFDS had retrieved Chad unconscious. Anne and Eddie Sawyer live in Morawa with their two children, Chad and Lara. In March this year, 16-year-old Chad was discovered at the bottom of the local pool during his weekly sports class. THE FLYING DOCTOR SAVED MY LIFE TWICE AND I NEVER THOUGHT MY FAMILY WOULD NEED THEM AGAIN. WHEN I WAS TOLD CHAD WAS IN THEIR CARE, I WAS SO RELIEVED TO KNOW HE WAS GETTING THE BEST MEDICAL ATTENTION. Chad s friends and teachers pulled him from the water and started CPR until an ambulance arrived. He was rushed to the local hospital in a critical condition and immediately placed on a ventilator. His condition did not improve, and with limited resources available, the hospital could not assist him further. MORAWA PERTH Chad woke up in hospital several days later and eventually made a full recovery. He doesn t remember anything of the incident or the flight. For Anne Sawyer, the memory is vivid, but having her family together and safe again far outweighs the experience. Whether your family lives or works between city or country, the Royal Flying Doctor Service will be there, wherever and whenever you need us. We rely on your donations to ensure we can continue to service the people of Western Australia. Please help to keep us in the air by donating at flyingdoctor.org.au/wa The RFDS was deployed to provide Chad with the urgent intensive care support he needed en route to Royal Perth Hospital. In-flight, the RFDS doctor and nurse could use the aircraft s life support equipment and provide the necessary emergency medical expertise to help keep him alive. Chad s mother, Anne, was in Geraldton that day. The local hospital contacted her to let her know that For over 80 years, the RFDS has cared for generations of Western Australian families

10 10:39am > Dongara > Geraldton 12:49am Two patients 7:55am > Kalgoorlie > Eucla > Kalgoorlie One patient 10:21am > Kalgoorlie > Leinster > Kalgoorlie Three patients 7:10am > Wongan Hills > Royal Perth 18-year-old in a high speed car crash 07:00 10:12am 11:55am > Meekatharra > Meekatharra Patient from Meekatharra 3:08pm > Carnarvon > Geraldton Three patients Three patients 11:00 10:47pm > Dongara Patient roaded from Wyndham to Kununurra. > Broome > Darwin Heart attack victim 12:28 pm 11:15am > Port Hedland > Karratha > Christmas Creek > Port Hedland 10:00 > Kununurra > Paraburdoo 3:03pm 1:16pm > Broome > Lombadina > Broome > Sandfire > Broome 11-year-old boy falls, hitting his head during basketball Crew tasked to Sandfire Roadhouse 12:00 13:00 Two-year-old ingested toxic plant 2:15pm > Bunbury > Sandfire > Broome Patient from Bunbury Hospital Patient from Sandfire to Broome 14:00 15:00 4:54 pm > Albany 11-monthold with bronchiolitis 16:00 11:13pm > Kalgoorlie > Mt Magnet > Geraldton > Kalgoorlie Four patients 6:50pm 8:14pm 10:08pm 11:08pm > Port Hedland > Newman > Port Hedland > Meekatharra > Meekatharra > Bunbury Two patients One patient Two patients Two patients 18:00 20:00 22:00 23:00 > Albany > Narrogin A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE RFDS On the 24th July, rostered flight crews were anticipating another day of providing life-saving services across the state. It would end up being one of the busiest days of the year. The RFDS Coordination Centre operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. An incredibly dedicated team works around the clock, ensuring every patient receives the best possible outcome. In a normal day, the RFDS takes emergency calls, prioritises patients, 19 tasks aircraft and staff, and liaises with St John Ambulance and hospitals all around Western Australia. 24 HOURS OF LIFE-SAVING CARE On the 24th July, the RFDS tasked 22 flights. By the day s end, we had reached and safely delivered 34 people to hospitals around the state. Their lives depended on our seamless service into remote and difficult locations. All six operating bases had a busy day, flying 22,677 kilometres across Western Australia, as south as Albany, as north as Darwin, and as east as Eucla. ERO MEDICAL OPERATING A FACILITIES 6 22 FLIGHTS 34 PATIENTS 22,677 KM FLOWN 50 TEAM MEMBERS INVOLVED 20

11 PHIL S STORY RFDS OPERATIONS On any given day or night, the Royal Flying Doctor Service is at the frontline of Western Australia s Aero Medical response. In the last year alone, RFDS reached 27,000 people across vast distances and locations to deliver life-saving medical evacuation and essential primary healthcare services. The RFDS is an immense logistical enterprise, covering 2.5 million square kilometres across the state. With changing populations and demographics across regional cities and remote communities, the organisation is at a pivotal time in its history, as we embark on a new era to progress Aero Medical service throughout WA. Phil Strapp is the Deputy General Manager of RFDS Operations the critical link between patients in need, the aircraft that reaches them, and the doctors and nurses ready to attend. Operations is key to our evolution, with critical insight to state-wide patient flow data, and the important connections they make on the ground with communities and local health services. Talking with Phil at the Operations Centre at Jandakot, you start to understand the volume and breadth of patient demand for the RFDS. The Centre is a hub of monitors and systems which track deployments across the state, a team of emergency response experts on calls, and RFDS doctors on 24/7 rotation to triage emergencies. It is evident that the Flying Doctor service is delivered with militarylike precision and innovation, by professionals passionate about the safety and wellbeing of others. It comes as no surprise that Phil has an international military and business background, and has led operational 21 roles for St John Ambulance and primary industries in regional WA. He is a country lad from Boyup Brook, and he knows the state inside out. Joining the Royal Flying Doctor Service has been both a career and personal highlight for me. There s literally no other role that I could extend my entire professional experience to directly benefit the safety and wellbeing of others. Phil oversees operations at RFDS facilities at Jandakot, Kalgoorlie, Meekatharra, Broome, Derby and Port Hedland, ensuring emergency retrievals and healthcare reaches people throughout the regions. WA S LANDSCAPE AND PEOPLE ARE INCREDIBLY DIVERSE AND CONSTANTLY CHANGING. OVERSEEING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW BROOME FACILITY HIGHLIGHTS HOW THE RFDS WILL ALWAYS CHANGE WITH THE POPULATION WHEREVER WE RE NEEDED, WE LL BE THERE. Being on the frontline of the RFDS, Phil and his colleagues are prepared for the unexpected. Systems, infrastructure and experts are effectively deployed for timely emergency responses and continued delivery of primary healthcare services. In November last year, the RFDS was called upon from afar, with Phil required to lead the team through a complex emergency response. It was an international call from Jakarta. A three-year-old Australian boy had suffered significant burns and needed immediate Aero Medical retrieval. RFDS aircrafts are fitted with intensive care units, which enabled our doctors and nurses to provide him with critical care in-flight to specialist care in Perth. It was a significant logistics challenge. We broke new ground, facilitating an international response across a number of services between Indonesia and Western Australia. The young boy s recovery has been a testament to the leadership and capability of the RFDS beyond boundaries. In 2018, the RFDS will take its capability to the next level with the arrival of two new Pilatus PC-24 jet aircraft a world first for Aero Medical service. It has been marked as a history-making year for the organisation, as we make a number of important advances to progress optimum patient outcomes across Western Australia. Phil and the Operations Centre team are focused on the development of future-ready systems for RFDS incident response. We re essentially looking at the future of our Operations Centre, and how a physical and digital environment can support robust incident response and escalations. This would integrate with a range of services across the state s health infrastructure. With so many professional accomplishments in unique settings and experiences, ask Phil what he is most proud of and you receive an exhuberant response; Being Western Australian of course! I feel privileged to be part of a Western Australian icon and extremely proud to serve the people of our great state. 22

12 CORAL BAY ANYA S STORY PERTH TRAVELLING IN WA Romy and her two children live in Perth. They love to travel and explore regional destinations throughout Western Australia. We re spoilt for choice in WA. Our regions and landscapes are so diverse offering unique experiences from one place to the next. While on holidays in Coral Bay, Romy s daughter Anya became critically ill. It was so sudden and being away from home made it really worrying. Local medical assistance advised that Anya would need the Royal Flying Doctor Service. RFDS AIRCRAFT ARE FULLY EQUIPPED INTENSIVE CARE UNITS AND ATTENDED BY HIGHLY SKILLED DOCTORS AND NURSES CAPABLE OF DEALING WITH ANY EMERGENCY. Anya s retrieval, medical response, and transfer to PMH was a success. She has since made a full recovery. Romy recently reflected on their family s experience with the RFDS. We re a Perth family. We never thought we d be in a situation that would need the Flying Doctor, but given the severity of her condition we are so grateful they were there for Anya, giving her the chance of a normal life. Whether your family lives or works between city or country, the Royal Flying Doctor Service will be there, wherever and whenever you need us. We rely on your donations to ensure we can continue to service the people of Western Australia. Please help to keep us in the air by donating at flyingdoctor.org.au/wa The RFDS medical team were able to manage her condition en route to Princess Margaret Hospital, carefully monitoring her vital signs while she received in-flight IV fluid and pain relief. Anya would need surgery. We re a Perth family. We never thought we d be in a situation that would need the RFDS

13 FUNDRAISING BE PART OF A NEW ERA THE FLYING DOCTOR PRIDE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA The RFDS belongs to all Western Australians. They are the direct beneficiaries of an essential service to our state. Western Australians of all generations have a strong connection to the Flying Doctor. Its pioneering spirit and world-class leadership in Aero Medical emergency care has become an integral part of our state s identity and daily lives. More than ever, the support of all Western Australians is crucial to our future. The state is changing and the population will continue to grow. Community donation, philanthropic grants and corporate social investment are all essential to ensuring we can remain at the forefront of Aero Medical care. metropolitan supporters who have recognised the relevance of the RFDS to their life in WA. Thank you to all our supporters, city and country. Without your loyalty and generosity, we could not successfully achieve the thousands of emergency retrievals and the very best patient outcomes for the people of WA. The RFDS is getting ready to deliver its world-class Aero Medical service to more people in more places across Western Australia. Thanks to our current partners and generous supporters, we have achieved significant progress in 2017, with the opening of a state-of-the-art aviation and engineering facility at Jandakot, and are now counting down to the arrival of two new Pilatus PC-24s. This year, we have been encouraged by the growing number of This is just the beginning for the work ahead of us. Join us to help keep all Western Australians safe whenever and wherever they need us. FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHTS CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS Our Corporate Partnerships program presents a range of opportunities to fit with corporate social investment goals, sponsorship marketing and partnered initiatives. For more information, contact RFDS Corporate Partnerships at ra.stewart@rfdswa.com.au ALTITUDE 2017 GIBB CHALLENGE Presented by Pilatus, ALTITUDE soared beyond expectation. A highlight on Perth s social calendar, this annual event was a sell-out and an experience like no other. The Gibb Challenge is a 660km team cycling relay from Derby to El Questro Station along the iconic Gibb River Road. This year, we had a spectacular line-up of national and local entertainment including Tina Arena, Faith + Freedom: the music of George Michael performed by the Perth Symphony Orchestra and the WAAPA Gospel Choir, Julia Jenkins, and the Potbelleez. The ALTITUDE live and online auctions were extremely popular, with an incredible array of five-star experiences and luxury items on offer. 25 The event was founded by Simon and Anna Rimmer 11 years ago, following an RFDS rescue of Anna in an extreme medical emergency. Today, the Gibb Challenge has become a very popular fundraising event for cycling enthusiasts, tourists, and locals alike. This year s event attracted 71 teams from across the country, and raised an incredible $460,000 for the RFDS. RFDS FLYING 1000: PROVENCE ESTATE CHARITY HOME The RFDS and its Flying 1000 support group joined forces with Plunkett Homes to design, build and construct a beautiful new home in Provence Estate, Busselton. This was the first time a home has been built in the South West region solely to raise funds for the RFDS. The home was successfully sold at auction in May, raising much needed funds to continue life-saving work in the region. GIVE IN MEMORY OR CELEBRATION Ask your friends and family to make a donation to the RFDS in lieu of a gift or flowers. This can be an ideal gift for the person who has everything and a touching recognition of your support to a much loved Western Australian icon. Go to flyingdoctor.org.au/wa and click donate for more information. JOIN THE SUPPORT CREW Contribute an automatic monthly donation of your choice to the RFDS with the RFDS Support Crew. It s tax deductible and it helps us plan ahead for investing in development. One-off donations are still warmly welcomed. To join, call FUNDRAISE FOR US Some of our amazing fundraisers have created events that have become extremely popular in their own right, such as the Gibb Challenge, film nights, social events and professional networking the possibilities are endless. Go to rfdswa.com.au and click fundraising or call for more information. YOUR WILL GIFTING A LASTING LEGACY A gift to RFDS in your will is an incredibly poignant legacy that will have the power to impact countless lives. Contact your lawyer or estate management provider on how to include the RFDS Western Australia in your will. To find out more call

14 OUR SUPPORTERS SPECIAL THANKS Altitude Partners The RFDS would like to thank all of our amazing volunteers, committees and community fundraisers who generously donate their time and effort to fundraising for the RFDS. WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO: Major Partners Community Partners Corporate Supporters Government Support Mono Logo Version West Australian Government Colours 100% Black 60% Black Geraldton RFDS Volunteer Committee Narrogin RFDS Busselton RFDS Volunteer Committee Jurien RFDS Pannawonica RFDS Dongara RFDS Katanning RFDS Paraburdoo RFDS Flying 1000 Lake Grace RFDS RFDS Eastern Goldfields Auxiliary Mount Barker RFDS RFDS Esperance Auxiliary Friends of the Flying Doctor ALTITUDE Ball Sponsors 27 RFDS Ambassador Melva Stone OAM