Cheryl Rosiak, Infection Prevention and Control Specialist1
1Royal Flying Doctor Service South East Section, 21 Judy Jakins Drive, Dubbo, NSW, 2830, Cheryl.rosiak@rfdsse.org.au
Abstract:
The public perception of the Royal Flying Doctor Service is most widely associated with aeromedical retrievals of sick and injured people from remote locations in outback Australia. However, the RFDS provides much more than a retrieval service to people living and working in the most remote areas of Australia. A comprehensive program of Primary Health, Dental Services, Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs counselling is delivered to some of the most remote and isolated communities across Australia. As a health service, the RFDS faces the same challenges as other health services in urban areas in preventing and controlling the spread of healthcare associated infections, and in meeting accreditation with the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards. Civil Aviation Authority regulations also impact on the delivery of an infection prevention and control program. Providing high quality, safe and clean care in isolated communities hundreds of miles from the nearest hospital, or at 18,000 feet in a cramped aircraft cabin, has its unique challenges, but the rewards and job satisfaction in contributing to the delivery of vital health care to people living in some of the most remote and isolated places in Australia, is enormous.