When delivering healthcare in rural and remote areas it is important to be ready for anything because you never know what you will be faced with.
That readiness and can-do attitude means that when the unexpected happens, our teams are able to deliver.
That was on full display in late-2022 when large areas of West and Far West NSW were impacted by flooding. Significant rainfall during August and September resulted in 58 local government areas being designated as disaster zones.
In an ever-changing situation where entire communities were cut off by rising water, we used every available option to us to ensure that we could still deliver vital healthcare. It was with your generous support that we were able to be there for rural and remote NSW.
Our ability to travel by air and by road, and to deliver services by telehealth meant that we could find alternatives to provide support to communities that were isolated, and many cases, completely cut off from the rest of the world and under immeasurable stress.
During this time of need, we were committed to being there.
Where we might have seen 7 patients at Packsaddle, we saw 149.
In Tibooburra, we would normally see 2 patients, and went on to see 630. In response to the rising waters, we provided vaccinations against Japanese Encephalitis, a potentially fatal mosquito-borne disease.
We also provided mental health and counselling support to ensure that all people – men, women and children – would have an outlet, a shoulder to lean on, and the tools to help cope with the devastation of the floods.
As a not-for-profit with deep roots in the Far West and Western NSW, it was imperative to be there when our communities needed us most. This commitment was recognised late last year when we received a $200,000 grant from the NGO Flood Recovery Program, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments to help cover some of our costs in meeting the huge increase in demand for our remote clinics.
After almost 100 years of service, we are again reminded how of how essential these clinics are for remote communities. RFDS clinics draw on the skills of GPs, primary health care nurses, mental health clinicians, infection control nurses, alcohol and drug clinicians and community engagement officers. The expertise is diverse and critical for the ongoing health of outback families.
Thank you for the critical role you play in ensuring we are able to support outback communities, especially in their time of need. We couldn’t do it without you.
