HCF AND THEROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE

As Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund, we recognise the crucial role we play in driving societal change to help make a positive health impact for our members, people and communities.

To help deliver on our social mission to build healthier communities, we’ve established a major 3-year national partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).

A union of two trusted, long-established Australian health organisations, the partnership will assist in delivering better healthcare access and outcomes for those living in rural and remote communities.

Ensuring access to affordable, quality healthcare for our members and all Australians is central to our vision. We’re committed to working collaboratively with the RFDS, as well as government, providers and our partners, to address the disparity in health outcomes for families and communities living in the bush.

Our commitment of $3 million over 3 years will support the purchase and upkeep of RFDS aircraft and the life-saving equipment needed to deliver essential healthcare and services to every corner of Australia.

As a major national partner of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, we're proud to support the Flying Doctor podcast, telling the remarkable stories of real patients and their families who've experienced the challenges and triumphs of life in the bush.

Founded in 1928, the RFDS has been responding to the essential healthcare needs of country Australians for almost a century. Today the RFDS is one of the largest aeromedical organisations in the world and operates an expansive medical emergency and primary healthcare service throughout Australia.

Nationally, its vital services are delivered by a dedicated workforce of over 2,300 staff, a fleet of 79 aircraft located at 23 aeromedical bases, 180 road vehicles and 4 remote primary health facilities. The RFDS now delivers more than 380,000 episodes of care across Australia every year – the equivalent of assisting someone every 2 minutes.

Covering an area of 7.69 million square kilometres, their multidisciplinary approach to healthcare is focused on keeping people well within their communities through the delivery of:

• 336,000+ patient interactions
• 36,900+ aeromedical evacuations
• 137,000+ face-to-face primary health consultations
• 71,700+ digital health consultations
• 10,800+ oral health consultations
• 58,800+ road patient transfers*.

*Figures accurate for FY22-23.

The RFDS relies on the support of major partners like HCF and the generosity of local communities to help fund lifesaving medical technologies and provide crucial primary healthcare and mental health services to those in regional and rural Australia.

Our overall approach to sustainability is an extension of our purpose – to bring our human touch to healthcare, now and for generations to come. We’re focused on delivering real value for our stakeholders through improved health and social outcomes, while reducing our environmental impact.