A TOTAL of $10,000 has been donated to an Aeromedical Base and Patient Transfer Facility for the Royal Flying Doctors Service and LifeFlight Australia thanks to the Gladstone Ports Corporation’s Community Investment Program.
GPC acting chief executive Craig Walker said the corporation was proud to be supporting not only the region’s economy through the Port of Bundaberg but also vital services.
“The joint application from RFDS and LifeFlight aligned strongly with the core values of our Community Investment Programs,” Mr Walker said.
“We invest over $2.8m annually into the regions in which we operate and are always looking for initiatives that fit with our program priorities of social, environmental and economic sustainability.
“This initiative is so important, as a vital link between our regional cities and the specialist hospitals in the capital cities”.
RFDS (Queensland Section) chief executive Meredith Staib said the current facility struggled to meet the growing regional operational needs.
“The RFDS in Bundaberg transports about 2000 patients per year to emergency and specialist care,” Mrs Staib said.
“The new facility will enable us to significantly enhance the quality of care, safety and comfort for patients across central Queensland, and ensure equitable access to healthcare specifically to those living and working in the Bundaberg, Wide Bay and Fraser Coast regions.
“This $10,000 sponsorship from GPC will provide much needed support in the build of the new aeromedical base for the Bundaberg region.”
The new Bundaberg Aeromedical Base and Patient Transfer facility is to support growing investments in health and hospital care infrastructure, providing access to emergency care, saving lives and improving the health outcomes for thousands of Queenslanders each year.
LifeFlight Board chairman and former Queensland Premier Rob Borbidge said the new base would be equal to the best in the country.
“We believe Queenslanders living outside metropolitan areas deserve the same care as their SEQ counterparts and we thank GPC for helping our organisations realise this goal,” Mr Borbidge said.
“You can’t anticipate when you will need urgent aeromedical care, but our crews can be airborne in mere minutes, to help anyone in their time of need.” he said.
The facility is estimated to be finished by February 2020.
