LIFE-SAVING service Careflight has set up a permanent residence in Tamworth.
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The aeromedical charity provides rapid response transport to patients needing urgent clinical care, and brings them back home.
Careflight chief executive Mick Frewen said it was time regional patients were offered the same level of care as those in the cities.
“It’s a great opportunity for us, our mission is all about serving the community and this allows us to do that in a much greater way,” he said.
“The real benefit is that we ensure the patient, wherever they are in the state, can access the exact same level of care someone might in a larger centre like Sydney.
“We can move that patient to where there’s the level of specialist care or surgery they require.”
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The King Air aeroplanes have been servicing Tamworth since April, and have dropped in to Inverell, Moree and Armidale.
Inside patients are offered stretchers or seats, and a registered nurse is onboard for the duration of the flight.
On the ground, patient transport vehicles are driven by locals to rural and regional areas around Tamworth.
Tamworth Regional Council mayor Col Murray said the geographic location of Tamworth helps its bid for better services.
“We’re very grateful that Careflight did choose to establish their base here, there’s more of that specialist access to those high level medical services that we sometimes tend to miss out on in the regions,” he said.
“I think it’s really important, there’s a large sector of our community that’s ageing gently and along with that ageing comes a need for more specialist services.
“While we’re being catered for in terms of the normal hospital services, some of those special services do require for efficiency for patients to be transported and there’s no better way than in a very classy air ambulance like we see here.”
Careflight conducts around 5000 missions each year across Australia.
It also provides search and rescue support to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, allowing them to locate and rescue people in difficult to access places.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
