The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia

Australia is a big place — 7.69 million square kilometres, and with a relatively small population of 25 million people. 

Two-thirds of our population live around the regional coastlines and the remaining live across rural and remote areas — sometimes more than an eight hour drive to the closest township making access to health services problematic - sometimes life-threatening.

The RFDS provides 24-hour aeromedical emergency services that can reach anywhere, no matter how remote, within hours. Combined with telehealth consultations, fly-in fly-out GP and Nurse clinics, mobile dental services, patient transfers, and a myriad of other health services, the RFDS is constantly working to see that those living in rural and remote areas can enjoy the same health outcomes as those living in city areas.

A small aircraft parked outside a large aircraft hangar with the words "Royal Flying Doctor Service" on the building. The image features a tail number and a logo on the hangar.
An aircraft flying over a landscape with hills and sparse vegetation, with a label indicating '79 Aircraft'.
An airplane flying over a hilly landscape with an orange banner displaying '28 million+ Kilometres Flown'.
An airplane flying over a landscape with trees and roads during sunset. An overlay with orange background displays white text: '7.69 million km² Waiting Room.'
A person lying on a stretcher being loaded into an airplane for medical evacuation. An orange banner displays the text '59,000+ Aeromedical Evacuations'.
An airplane taking off from a dirt runway in a rural area with dry grass and trees in the background, and a graphic overlay stating "70,000+ Aircraft Landings."
A healthcare worker and an elderly patient sitting at a table outdoors, engaging in conversation. The healthcare worker is wearing a green jacket with a logo and holding papers. The table has a water bottle and some papers. The background includes a large water tank and natural trees.
A healthcare professional conducting a health consultation with a patient lying on a bed in a clinical setting, with text indicating over 59,000 primary health consultations.
A smiling woman in a black uniform using a desktop computer for a video call in an office setting, with a man appearing on the screen. The overlay text highlights over 63,000 digital health consultations.
Two healthcare professionals performing a dental procedure on a patient in a clinical setting, with a large orange banner displaying '17,000+ Oral Health Consultations'.
Two people leaning on a fence during sunset, with a large orange banner below stating '17,000+ Mental Health Consultations'.

The RFDS in South Australia and Northern Territory

Every year, we assist more than 56,000 patients in South Australia and the Northern Territory - that's one patient every 10 minutes.

RFDS SA/NT began in 1939 and delivers emergency aeromedical and community healthcare services throughout South Australia and the Northern Territory, be it an aeromedical evacuation, a GP and Community Health Nurse clinic, a telehealth call, a mental health or oral health clinic, or a child's immunisation.

We operate four aeromedical bases in Adelaide, Alice Springs, Darwin and Port Augusta, as well as four remote primary healthcare facilities in Andamooka, Marla, Marree and Innamincka in outback South Australia.

The RFDS is a not-for-profit organisation. While we receive support from governments, we rely on fundraising and donations to bridge the gap in operational funding, and to finance replacement aircraft, medical equipment and other major capital initiatives.

Rescue team preparing an aircraft for emergency medical evacuation in a desert landscape.

Emergency Aeromedical Service.

The RFDS provides 24/7 emergency aeromedical evacuations throughout outback Australia for people who are seriously ill or injured and require urgent medical attention.

Whether it’s a farmer pinned under a tractor, a child with a snakebite, a motor vehicle accident on a remote dirt road or a sudden severe illness, the Flying Doctor is ready.

A nurse checking an elderly woman's blood pressure with a digital blood pressure monitor in a cozy living room.

Outback Community Health Services.

The RFDS is committed to delivering whole-of-life community health services to help outback, rural and remote Australians live happier and healthier lives. In any given year, the RFDS delivers more than 13,000 community health consultations across South Australia and the Northern Territory.

A man with glasses smiling and talking to a patient in a hospital bed, with a nurse standing in the background.

Remote Oral Health Care.

The RFDS Oral Health Care Program offers a mobile dental and oral health care service to residents and communities throughout rural and remote South Australia and the Northern Territory. Regular ‘fly-in’ clinics provide opportunities for people of all ages living in remote locations to access high-quality dental care at no cost to the patient.

Two people standing by a fence at sunset, one wearing a hat and the other wearing a uniform with 'Royal Flying Doctor Service' on the back.

Mental Health & Wellbeing.

The RFDS Mental Health & Wellbeing Service supports adults and young people in outback South Australia and the Northern Territory.

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REAL RFDS VIDEOS

Watch as an RFDS Medi-Jet 24 lands on an outback highway - an Australian first.

If you’ve seen ‘RFDS’ on tv, now watch a real-life Northern Territory retrieval from start to finish. An amazing look behind the scenes through the eyes of one of our crews.

SUPPORT THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE

As a not-for-profit aeromedical organisation, we rely on your help and generosity to deliver essential health and emergency medical services. 

When accidents turn into emergencies, when life hangs in the balance and when medical support is out of reach, your support keeps the Flying Doctor flying.

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