Press Release

Issued by Royal Flying Doctor Service.

March 30, 2021

Sam Walsh AO, board chair of the Western Operations division of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), has announced that two helicopters will join its fleet in a first for the Australian fixed-wing air ambulance operator.

This exciting expansion of its service will give RFDS crews greater flexibility and capability to respond quickly to each patient's inter-hospital transfer needs with the most appropriate aircraft and medical care.

RFDS looks forward to working with the Western Australia Government, WA Country Health Service, the business community and its service partners to integrate the helicopters into its operations by the end of the year.

This innovation delivers on the commitments made in RFDS' 2020 Strategic Direction: The Next Century to be the State's premier patient retrieval service and keep improving health equity for all Western Australians, regardless of where they live or work.

This is an essential step forward if the RFDS is to meet the increasingly complex health needs of regional, remote and very remote communities.