Flying Doctor takes off to celebrate 90 years

Story – Tricia Duffield

Taking flight across NSW for 90 years, the Royal Flying Doctor Service has ensured community healthcare for those living in rural and remote communities.

On Sunday, the RFDS celebrated Flying Doctor Day, marking the anniversary of the first ever RFDS flight in 1928. It’s an annual event celebrated as a reminder of just how far the impact of the RFDS has spread across rural and remote communities. And this year, Flying Doctor Day held even greater significance, coinciding with 90 years of the RFDS in NSW.

From humble beginnings – a small handful of doctors, nurses and pilots operating out of Broken Hill – to the nearly 400 people across the south eastern section today, the organisation has grown into a multidisciplinary healthcare organisation, supporting more than 80 rural and remote communities.

These are communities where often the RFDS is the only provider for emergency and primary healthcare, dentistry, and mental health support. […]

Read more local news in the printed edition of The Western Herald.

To subscribe call (02) 6872 2333 today and receive The Western Herald in your letterbox next week or purchase and download a digital edition here.

Clinic Coordinator Sharon Junk, community member Janet Jones, RFDSSE Dental Assistants June Jones and Yamirra Talbot. Photo supplied