The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RDFS) Victoria is delighted to announce a new partnership with South Gippsland Hospital to expand its Flying Doctor Community Transport service into the community of Foster and surrounds.
This free service offers eligible community members transportation to health appointments and social group activities, utilising a team of highly trained volunteer drivers from within the local community.
The Flying Doctor Community Transport service originally launched in the Heathcote region in 2018 before expanding into Rochester in 2021, and then Numurkah and Warracknabeal in 2022. This recent growth is due to funding from Western Victoria Primary Health Network, Murray Primary Health Network and Gippsland Primary Health Network, who are supporting the expansion of the service into eight new communities under the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program.
This site in Foster marks the first time the program has expanded into the Gippsland region.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with South Gippsland Hospital to bring the Flying Doctor Community Transport service to Foster,” says Jocelyn Syme, Health Service Manager for RFDS Victoria.
“In selecting Foster as a new site for Community Transport, we undertook extensive investigation, data analysis and community consultation, and found that the need for such a transport service was incredibly high in this pocket of South Gippsland.”
South Gippsland Hospital already operated its own volunteer-led community transport service, and invited RFDS Victoria to assume coordination of this service in order to grow the program in line with community needs.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for South Gippsland Hospital to partner with an organisation that has such a strong reputation,” said South Gippsland Hospital CEO, Paul Greenhalgh. “The Flying Doctor Community Transport service will ensure that those in our community without ready access to transport will have an enhanced transport experience. Furthermore, volunteers will have improved support with a dedicated coordination role. It’s a win for everybody.”
Through this respectful partnership, RFDS Victoria intends to support and strengthen the community of Foster and surrounds by providing continued access to vital medical appointments.
To find out more about Flying Doctor Community Transport and this new partnership with South Gippsland Hospital, please call (03) 7046 4664 or email communitytransport@rfdsvic.com.au.
