The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland section) has received a $4 million donation from the Hancock Prospecting and Rinehart Medical Foundation.
The important gift, from Gina Rinehart, will support the Flying Doctor in continuing its tradition of safety and connecting Queenslanders from the furthest corner to the finest care.
The funds will contribute to the fit-out of a new Beechcraft King Air 360 aircraft and support the advancement of RFDS operational environments at the soon-to-be-redeveloped Brisbane base.
RFDS (Queensland section) chief executive officer Meredith Staib said the gift would continue to nurture quality patient care and help quicken response times.
“On a typical day, we have 10 flights coming through our Brisbane base,” Ms Staib said.
“Last year, more than 4250 patients from 63 different locations passed through this area of operations – numbers we expect to grow substantially once the new base is built.
“The multi-million dollar gift will help ensure that all Queenslanders – no matter where they live, work and play across the state – can feel safe in knowing that they are connected to the best medical care available.”
It is not the first donation the RFDS has received from the Rinehart Medical Foundation.
At the beginning of the pandemic, a separate $6 million gift was credited by RFDS as the turning point for its teams facing the unprecedented challenge of Covid-19.
“We are proud to again provide support to the RFDS for the vital work they do each day for Queenslanders and, especially those in the bush,” Mrs Rinehart said.
“This once again shows that when mining does well, Australia does well.”
The $4 million donation will also support the fit-out and operationalisation of the new RFDS Brisbane base within the planned $72 million Queensland Regional Aeromedical Hub, with investment by the Queensland Government.
The additional donation from Hancock Prospecting and the Rinehart Medical Foundation will help to fund state-of-the-art equipment and support the innovative Operational Control Centre, to enhance the Flying Doctor’s ability to serve Queenslanders with quicker, more efficient assistance.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Queensland section is one of the largest and most comprehensive organisations in the world, providing world-class healthcare to more than 98,000 people within Queensland.
The emergency retrieval service operates 24-hours a day, seven-days a week and has expanded to include a broad range of essential primary and preventative healthcare services, including telehealth, mental health, oral health and health promotion.
