The Wide Bay-Burnett is a step closer to a 24/7 critical care doctor after LifeFlight received accreditation from the Australian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM).
It means the Bundaberg LifeFlight base can train practitioners in a Diploma of Prehospital Care and Retrieval Medicine.
The stringent accreditation process included a base visit by ACEM and interviews with medical crew, paramedics and the clinical leadership at LifeFlight.
LifeFlight Medical Director Dr Jeff Hooper, said the Bundaberg LifeFlight base was recognised as providing a high standard of care to critically unwell patients, excellent medical training and supervision of the medical staff.
“The accreditation process is intense and required LifeFlight to present data on the type of missions that we attend as well as an analysis of the training, supervision and support that we provide to the medical staff,” Dr Hooper said.
“The visiting inspectors were impressed with the base culture, the supervision, training and support that LifeFlight provides to the Wide Bay-Burnett and beyond.”
Bundaberg Clinical Base Lead Chris McMullen and Operations Manager Renee Bolot led the team to prepare and to facilitate the base visit.
Dr Hooper said it sets LifeFlight up for success by ensuring that high quality doctors continue to work for the not-for-profit as retrieval registrars.
“The majority of our doctors are completing training in emergency medicine, anaesthetics or intensive care,” he said.
“During this training time they rotate around different hospitals and jobs including prehospital and retrieval terms with LifeFlight.
“This sets the Bundy base up for a great future as we continue to push toward a 24/7 doctor and QAS paramedic service.”
More than 180 medical professionals, including critical care doctors are employed by LifeFlight, making it the largest employer of aeromedical doctors in Australia.
In February, Dr Daniel Ballantine became the newest addition to join LifeFlight at the Bundaberg helicopter base.
LifeFlight Regional Advisory Committee Chair for the Wide Bay-Burnett Region Neil McPhillips praised the commitment and professionalism of the aeromedical crews involved.
“This is an outstanding outcome for LifeFlight and I would like to congratulate the entire team for working tirelessly to achieve this accreditation,” Neil said.
“Since LifeFlight first set up our Committee just over three years ago, the challenge they set was to make a difference for our community.
“The challenge we took on was to add a critical doctor to the service and now we’re another step closer in achieving that.
“We have advocated for high quality, equitable healthcare across the Wide Bay-Burnett region and this recognition is the result of fantastic work by all involved.”
In the last financial year the Bundaberg-based LifeFlight crew flew 416 missions and undertook 36 search and rescues.
It contributed to a record 8,177 people helped by LifeFlight in FY24, more than 11 per cent higher than the previous year.
LifeFlight has helped close to 90,000 people since taking to the skies 45 years ago.
The Bundaberg-based LifeFlight rescue helicopter and crew service the Wide Bay-Burnett region and beyond.
