Major reforms to aeromedical services in NSW
On 17 July, Jillian Skinner, health minister for the state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia, announced details of major reforms to aeromedical services in NSW, which are intended to deliver faster treatment times and better access to clinical support for patients across the state. The changes are part of the Reform Plan for Aeromedical (Rotary Wing) Retrieval Services in NSW.
On 17 July, Jillian Skinner, health minister for the state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia, announced details of major reforms to aeromedical services in NSW, which are intended to deliver faster treatment times and better access to clinical support for patients across the state. The changes are part of the Reform Plan for Aeromedical (Rotary Wing) Retrieval Services in NSW.
Skinner commented: “The NSW Government initiated an independent review into the state’s aeromedical services to ensure that patient needs are being met and taxpayers are getting value for money when it comes to these contracted services. I’m proud to release the NSW Government response to the independent review and public consultation, which is the second and final component of our Strategic Review of the Ambulance Service of NSW.” She added: “This plan is a blueprint for the development of a new Helicopter Retrieval Network for NSW, which will deliver quality care and coverage for patients in metropolitan, rural, regional and remote NSW. The new Helicopter Retrieval Network will see patients moving from the air to hospital care faster than ever before.”
The Reform Plan guarantees that the Helicopter Retrieval Network can meet the growing demand for retrieval missions in NSW, which is expected to increase by 23 per cent by 2022, said the NSW Government. Under the Plan, every flight from every base across the new Helicopter Retrieval Network will be staffed with either a doctor and paramedic or a doctor and nurse team, a first for NSW. Bases will operate 24/7 to allow aircraft ‘to respond to emergencies up to 30 minutes faster’, including bases in Newcastle, Tamworth, Orange, Wollongong, Canberra and the Northern Region Helicopter Base. New medical staff (11.5 full time equivalent doctors and 18 full time equivalent paramedics) will be employed by the NSW Government. The measures will be funded by a $151.2-million commitment from the NSW Government, including an additional $39.1 million in new funding over the next three years.
In addition, the current fleet of helicopters will be streamlined, reducing the cost of maintenance, parts and training for each aircraft type, and will make crews more flexible to work across regional boundaries. For the first time, NGOs and commercial helicopter operators will be able to tender on a level playing field for government-funded helicopter contracts.
Skinner said the reforms will reshape the way aeromedical care is delivered in NSW: “I have the utmost respect for our state’s paramedics and the extraordinary work they do for patients across the state. Paramedics are at the very frontline of our emergency services, and these reforms go a long way to supporting, rather than stifling, their abilities to retrieve and treat patients quickly.”
NSW Ambulance chief executive Ray Creen welcomed the: “NSW Ambulance has a proud tradition of delivering quality care to patients across the state, and I am certain these reforms will enhance this service. These changes will see more paramedics in the air to retrieve patients faster, while being supported by doctors and nurses to deliver the highest quality emergency care to those who need it most.”