QUEENSLAND SECTION 2019/20 The furthest corner. The finest care. Providing excellence in, and access to, primary health care and aeromedical services across Queensland for 92 years. 2 The furthest corner. The finest care. The furthest corner. The finest care. Queensland Section | 2019-2020 3 From the Chairman While this year certainly delivered its challenges, I’m pleased to report that the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) in Queensland has closed the year with solid financial results, thanks to the ongoing commitment of our supporters, additional government funding, the RUSSELL POSTLE – CHAIRMAN resilience of our people and a strong and generous bequest program. COVIDsafe and secure with of pilots, medical officers, nurses, dentists and government support mental health clinicians that are geographically dispersed across our nine bases. When the pandemic was declared in March 2020 we were honoured that by July both the Corporate support building Commonwealth Government and Queensland remains strong Government had turned to the RFDS to help Our six principal partners have been particularly deliver the essential and specialised healthcare supportive over this unprecedented time, all services needed during the pandemic. showing their continued support regardless of the As one of the largest aeromedical retrieval economic impacts being felt in their own sectors. services in the world and with 92 years of serving Thank you to Ergon Energy Retail, QSuper, regional, rural and remote communities of Australia Woolworths, QCoal, Brisbane Airport Corporation, we are well placed to manage infectious diseases. and recent addition RioTinto who this year signed Our staff are well equipped and have the specialist a $1.25 million, five-year partnership with the skills needed to provide the finest care to our RFDS in Queensland. patients, while minimising the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19. Economic boost While we are all very aware of the positive social We were, and still are, extremely grateful for the impact the RFDS has on regional, rural and funding provided to us and the trust both the remote communities, a new study has revealed Queensland and Commonwealth governments the RFDS provides more than $2.5 billion in placed in us to supply this much-needed healthcare benefits to the Australian economy each year initiative. This funding ensured we remained through its life-saving aeromedical services. operational, transporting more than 2,100 The report found that RFDS supports 4,191 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients full-time equivalent jobs throughout Australia, across the country, including 40 in Queensland. 1,056 FTE in Queensland alone. It also boosts It also enabled the creation of a purpose-built Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $623 million suite of instructional videos to support the safe each year with a direct injection of $132.5 million use of essential COVID-19 Personal Protection into the Queensland economy. Equipment (PPE) for our Queensland workforce Our staff are well equipped and have the specialist skills needed to provide the finest care to our patients, while minimising the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19. 4 The furthest corner. The finest care. Acknowledgements Thank you to my fellow Board members, Chief care for our patients and the communities we Executive Officer Meredith Staib and her leadership serve always being front of mind. team, and all RFDS employees for their hard work Our commitment to our mission has never been and dedication this year. Thank you also to the more apparent and I feel the invaluable support of special advisors who have this year joined our families, communities and Governments behind us. board sub-committees for their advice and support I look forward to 2021 being another successful year. in key growth areas for the RFDS. Finally, while reflecting on my first year as Chairman, the year has certainly presented its Russell Postle challenges. But more than ever, I am so proud of Chairman the way the organisation has responded with the RFDS (Queensland Section) Queensland Section | 2019-2020 5 From the Chief Executive Officer In FY19/20, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) continued to deliver the finest care to the furthest corners of our State during one of our most challenging yet rewarding years. MEREDITH STAIB – CEO As an essential healthcare service to regional, and ensuring we are leading the way in our rural and remote Queenslanders, the RFDS ever-evolving industry. Increased operational remained focused on adapting our services to costs, increased competition and a greater provide excellence in, and access to, healthcare demand for services, are just some of the and aeromedical services across Queensland challenges we face. This will be our final pillar in as we move towards 100 years. sustainability of the organisation, and ensure we Towards 100 Strategy are investing wisely within the organisation. Over the past 12 months, we have focussed on In March, we officially launched the opening of preparing the RFDS to be ‘future fit’ as we approach our new Aeromedical Base in Bundaberg in 100 years of operation. partnership with RACQ LifeFlight. This building was made possible thanks to generous support The cornerstone of our ‘Towards 100’ strategy is from our community and a $3 million contribution a commitment from the Queensland Government from the Commonwealth Government as part to establish a new 10-year partnership for the of the Building Better Regions Fund. Already inter-hospital transfer contract. This partnership this base has been put to good use with over secures RFDS as the inter-hospital transfer 100 patients per month passing through the base service provider for the long-term and allows us doors on their way to specialist care. to confidently invest in our people, infrastructure and aircraft. Finally, we are also focused on growth of the services that we provide, particularly mental This investment into the organisation sees more health and primary health care to ensure we than $210 million invested over 10 years to upgrade continue to support and build happier and aircraft and infrastructure including new Beechcraft healthier communities in regional, rural and King Air B360s, new bases at Townsville, Mount remote Queensland. These needs have never Isa and Brisbane, 10 new patient transfer facilities, been greater in the communities we serve. and upgrades to 13 regional airstrips. Innovative service delivery during Our investment strategy also includes a renewal Covid-19 of digital platforms to ensure core systems and I am proud of the way our front-line staff and the applications are fit for purpose and will help us to whole organisation responded to the pandemic. deliver high-quality healthcare. Through a rapidly developing situation our key As an organisation we are undergoing a focussed remained on protecting the communities Transformational Change Program to ensure we are we serve. The RFDS in Queensland has challenging the way we operate, being innovative aeromedically transported 40 patients under 6 The furthest corner. The finest care. I am proud of the way our front-line staff and the whole organisation responded to the pandemic. Through a rapidly developing situation our key focussed remained on protecting the communities we serve. COVID-19 precautions and more than 2,100 Acknowledgements patients nationally. We also rapidly adapted our A sincere thank you to each RFDS team member primary health care service delivery models to across the state, for their unwavering commitment meet health safety standards while ensuring to the organisation and the communities they patients are still about to access the care they serve. Thank you also to both the Queensland need. For example, our mental health teams and Commonwealth Governments for partnering swiftly transitioned to a telehealth service delivery and supporting the RFDS both in Queensland and model to ensure minimal disruption of care was nationally so that we can provide the finest care experienced by the clients. As we turn our focus to regional, rural and remote communities across to the next 12 months, we will embrace new the country. opportunities and continue to innovate to ensure the best outcomes for the communities we serve. It is incredibly humbling to see such generous support every year from our donors, corporate Our values in practice partners, volunteers, auxiliaries and supporter > Safety and quality groups. Thank you to each, for the vital contribution > Mutual care and respect they have made throughout such a challenging > Commercially astute year. It is thanks to them, that we can keep the spirit and vision of John Flynn and Alfred Traeger > Open and transparent alive and continue to make a difference in the lives > Collaborate of Australians in the outback. > Proud and passionate Finally, reflecting on the last year, despite its Over the past year, I have been immensely proud challenging circumstances it has been a very to be part of an organisation that has continued to successful one and I look forward to another uphold our values during one of the most defining great year ahead. years in our history. I have seen the mutual care and respect and how proud our staff have been Meredith Staib during this time to work for the RFDS. Chief Executive Officer We have continued to ensure the wellbeing of our RFDS (Queensland Section) staff and patients during the pandemic through adapting our services. We have been open and transparent with each of the communities we It is incredibly humbling to see such deliver our services to ensuring they have been kept up-to-date and informed during this time. generous support every year from our We have continued to collaborate with various donors, corporate partners, volunteers, healthcare partners and corporate sponsors auxiliaries and supporter groups. to ensure we can deliver the best services to Queenslanders across the State for many years to come.