CareFlight is an aeromedical for purpose organisation established in May 1986 by a group of Australian doctors. CareFlight's mission is 'To save lives, speed recovery and serve the community.' This is achieved through the use of a variety of aircraft including aeromedical helicopters, jets and fixed wing aircraft. CareFlight's vision is 'To be the most advanced integrated aeromedical service trusted by all Australians.'
Description
Former politician Dr. Andrew Refshauge has been the Chairman of CareFlight, since December 2007. In NSW, CareFlight operates the Rapid Response Helicopter Service, based in the grounds of Westmead Hospital.The service aims to be airborne and on its way to trauma incidents within four minutes of being called, making it one of the leading services of its type in the world. Staffed with a Doctor and NSW Ambulance Paramedic, the Rapid Response Helicopter is able to take the emergency room to the patient, where every minute saved can be the difference between life and death. Extending NSW rescue services, CareFlight operates a fleet of B200 King Air turbo-prop fixed wing aircraft and ground transportation vehicles to transport patients between hospitals and clinics in Northern NSW. This service operates out of Bankstown Airport, providing services to the community in Tamworth, Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and Newcastle and transports more than 100 patients a month. CareFlight International Air Ambulance is an aero-medical retrieval and repatriation service which attends missions anywhere in the world. This operation was established in 1990, attending to around 300 missions per year. The revenue generated by CareFlight international Air Ambulance missions goes directly to supporting its charitable operations. CareFlight is the primary aeromedical, search and rescue service in the Top End of the Northern Territory contracted by the NT Government. The service caters to more than 170,000 individuals over 600,000 km², the largest group of remote communities in Australia. CareFlight operates a market leading AW139 twin-engine helicopter that has set benchmarks for safety design features, with industry leading operational range, performance and power. The NT Rescue Helicopter is also designated Australian Maritime Safety Authority primary asset in the Top End. Conducted throughout Australia, CareFlight developed the mobile MediSim program to provide high quality, simulation based trauma care training at no cost to the participants to help build community resilience. The care received by a patient immediately after they are injured can determine their long term outcomes. In regional, rural and remote areas the first people to arrive at the scene of a serious incident are usually local emergency services personnel and volunteers. Medisim has trained over 5,000 individuals since its inception in 2011 at no cost to the participant, 'Goal – Bridge the gap between emergency first responders and professional medical response'. In 2018 CareFlight's Top End education team developed a clinical training program designed specifically to help treat sick and injured children in rural and remote communities. CareFlight's aeromedical jet service provides a hospital standard of intensive care to the most remote areas across Australia and throughout the Asia-Pacific. CareFlight's medi-jets are able to handle planned medical transportations and rapid response medical emergencies to ensure patients have the best chance of survival regardless of their remote location.
