Providing the finest care to the furthest corner Flying Doctor celebrates 96 years

RFDS Primary Health - Team Leader, Kerri Rothery with Robyn Brown and her granddaughter, Ta’larnie at Weilmoringle. Photo contributed

Last Friday 17 May, the Royal Flying Doctor Service celebrated Flying Doctor Day, marking the 96th anniversary of its very first flight in 1928. 

Since that first flight, the RFDS has grown and adapted to new challenges, while always upholding its promise to provide a ‘mantle of safety’ to everyone who lives, works, and travels across rural and remote Australia. 

RFDS South Eastern Section (RFDSSE) CEO Greg Sam said when the Flying Doctor was first established in 1928 there were around 2.5 million people living in NSW, which has risen to 8 million today. 

“The ebb and flow of people across the region has helped to shape where we operate. If you look at the official population data from 1933, there were 8,344 people living in Dubbo. Now Dubbo is a large regional centre with around 45,000 people, and is a key base of operations for the RFDS,” Greg said. 

“Broken Hill has changed significantly over the years as mining operations left the area, however with some of the largest distances between regional towns found in Far West and the Corner Country, communities in these areas are more dependent than ever on our services.” 

With regional NSW attracting more young families, there is also an increased need for vital services; education, childcare, and most importantly, health care. 

“While our core is still very much our emergency services and remote clinics, we’ve expanded to provide a whole suite of health care services that people living in cities often take for granted,” Greg said. […]

Read more in the printed edition of The Western Herald.

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