Mr Waldron asks about steps to improve the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Mr McGinty responds that Commonwealth funding is doubling, addressing emergency response pressures, and the government is working with RFDS to expand services and aircraft provision.

AnsweredQoN 135Legislative Assembly
Asked
2 April 2008
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICES
I have a supplementary question. What steps is the minister taking to improve the Royal Flying Doctor Service? Mr J.A. McGINTY

AnswerView source ↗

Unfortunately, funding responsibility for inter-hospital transfers rests with the state government, while funding responsibility for emergency response rests with the commonwealth government. The commonwealth government has recognised that it was significantly under-funding the Royal Flying Doctor Service. I do not remember the exact figure, but the commonwealth government funding contribution will effectively double this year, which should remove a lot of pressure from the emergency response area. There remain issues to be resolved, particularly the provision of extra aircraft, in order to ensure that we can expand the Royal Flying Doctor Service to meet the needs of people in remote and regional areas of Western Australia. The government is currently engaged with the RFDS to do that.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: Unfortunately, funding responsibility for inter-hospital transfers rests with the state government, while funding responsibility for emergency response rests with the commonwealth government. The commonwealth government has recognised that it was significantly under-funding the Royal Flying Doctor Service. I do not remember the exact figure, but the commonwealth government funding contribution will effectively double this year, which should remove a lot of pressure from the emergency response area. There remain issues to be resolved, particularly the provision of extra aircraft, in order to ensure that we can expand the Royal Flying Doctor Service to meet the needs of people in remote and regional areas of Western Australia. The government is currently engaged with the RFDS to do that.
Unfortunately, funding responsibility for inter-hospital transfers rests with the state government, while funding responsibility for emergency response rests with the commonwealth government. The commonwealth government has recognised that it was significantly under-funding the Royal Flying Doctor Service. I do not remember the exact figure, but the commonwealth government funding contribution will effectively double this year, which should remove a lot of pressure from the emergency response area. There remain issues to be resolved, particularly the provision of extra aircraft, in order to ensure that we can expand the Royal Flying Doctor Service to meet the needs of people in remote and regional areas of Western Australia. The government is currently engaged with the RFDS to do that.

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