New flying doctor

The first of two new Royal Flying Doctor Service aircraft is being prepared for take-off.

The $23.16 million Royalties for Regions investment is financing the purchase of two new and two replacement aircraft and has funded the new Broome RFDS base.

Health Minister John Day said the new aircraft significantly expanded the RFDS’ capacity across the north of the State.

“It is a credit to the RFDS that, despite patient numbers growing by about 5 per cent a year since 2010, air ambulance performance targets have continued to improve,” he said.

Each year, more than 9000 people benefit from RFDS emergency aero-medical retrievals and inter-hospital transfers.

The new plane is due to join the fleet in March.