Federal government announces $74.8m over three years for Royal Flying Doctor Service

The future of regional health patients is in safe hands as the federal government moves to increase funding for a crucial health service.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service’s latest aircraft at Cairns. Pic by Brian Cassey

The future of bush patients is in safe hands as the federal government moves to increase funding for a crucial health service.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler on Tuesday in Cairns will announce a $74.8m, three-year commitment towards the Royal Flying Doctor Service, allowing the peak rural and remote health service to deliver its primary care, mental health and dental services to regional Queenslanders.

Cementing this commitment to improve the health of people in rural and remote communities, the government and RFDS have also signed a long-term Strategic Partnership until 2031-32.

The RFDS’s role is critical to meeting the unique health challenges of remote and very remote Australia meaning even when emergency strikes in the bush, world class healthcare is not far away.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the RFDS had provided a “lifeline” for people living, working and travelling in rural and remote Australia for over nine decades.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler will visit Cairns to announce new funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“This additional investment from the Albanese government ensures the RFDS can continue to provide world-class emergency healthcare services.

“The strategic agreement between the commonwealth and the RFDS is part of our commitment to working together as genuine partners to improve health outcomes for people in the bush.

“Our government is committed to ensuring no-one is left behind in having access to health and medical care. This includes people in rural, remote and very remote areas whose sole emergency health provider can often be the RFDS.”

In 2023-24, the RFDS delivered more than 4800 primary aeromedical evacuations, 3800 primary health clinic visits, 2600 mental health clinics, 36,000 dental services, 2200 medical chests, and 40,000 remote telehealth consultations.

Royal Flying Doctor Service simulation facility in Cairns. The service has received a new $74m commitment from the federal government over three years.

The RFDS 2023 Best for the Bush Baseline report found that compared to people in major cities, people in remote and very remote areas were 2.8 times more likely to be hospitalised for reasons which are potentially preventable conditions.

People in very remote areas are 2.7 times more likely to die from potentially avoidable causes. People in the most remote areas are likely to die 14.3 years earlier, compared to those in major cities.

This additional investment follows the $1bn government commitment to the RFDS over 10 years and will be locked in for the service, prior to and irrespective of the next federal election.

Originally published as Federal government announces $74.8m over three years for Royal Flying Doctor Service