NRW 2024 - Now More than Ever

The #NRW2024 theme, Now More Than Ever, reminds us that now more than ever we need to finish the unfinished business of reconciliation.  

At the RFDS we are committed to our reconciliation journey, guided by our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). We are nearing the end of our 2021-2024 RAP, and we are working hard to achieve all that we set out to do, whilst reflecting on what we can do better.

The RFDS recognise the strength and resilience shown by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, and communities and express our gratitude to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, patients, partners and other stakeholders who share their knowledge with us as we continue to grow and learn on our reconciliation journey.

As a leading health service provider, we strive to improve access to culturally safe health services that will contribute to longer, healthier lives. We understand that there is still a long path ahead to achieve widespread reconciliation and to Close the Gap and efforts need to remain a focus of governments, policy makers, funders, service providers and all our partners.

• In 2022-23, the Royal Flying Doctor Service conducted 36,937 aeromedical retrievals, equivalent to 101 aeromedical retrievals per day, or four per hour. 26.9% of retrieval patients were Indigenous, reflecting the high proportion of Indigenous Australians living in rural and remote areas.
• Indigenous Australians living in remote and very remote Australia (combined) were 2.3 times more likely to die from potentially avoidable deaths than Indigenous Australians living in major cities, and are significantly more likely to die from diabetes, lung disease, lung cancer, suicide and ischaemic heart disease.
• The RFDS Service Planning Operational Tool (SPOT) shows that 109,706 Indigenous Australians in rural and remote areas, or 11.2% of the total Indigenous population, did not have access to an Aboriginal health service within a 60-minute drive time.

Now more than ever, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly those in rural and remote areas need access to appropriate healthcare services if they are to improve their health outcomes.

The RFDS recognise that it is through listening, learning, collaboration, and partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders that we can best contribute to Closing the Gap. It is well understood that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce delivers better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers, families, and communities.

This is why our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) highlights the significance of establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations and to “focus on genuine relationship development with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly peak bodies and community-controlled organisations that foster health and wellbeing in areas where our services are provided.”