LifeFlight and SGAS industry partners have finalised a new agreement securing life-saving aeromedical services in the Maranoa region for another two years.
It cements a new operating model which will provide the community with increased access to the service and will be managed and tasked by Queensland Health’s Retrieval Services Queensland statewide clinical coordination centre.
It includes three SGAS partners—Origin Energy and Australian Pacific LNG, Santos, and Shell — who have committed to support the operation through a single-base operation in Roma.
Under the agreement, the number of community hours has increased from the 150 hours currently donated to the community to 350 as SGAS members continue their commitment to the region.
The Agreement sees SGAS partners funding the core of our Roma service for a period of two years while Queensland Health assesses the ongoing aeromedical needs of the region. We will continue to work alongside all parties as future funding is considered.
Funding for the Toowoomba-based helicopter traditionally backed by our SGAS partners has finished as R577 TWB is no longer required.
We anticipate there will be no impact to emergency rescue operations under the new Agreement, with the Toowoomba-based aeromedical crew tasked 24-7 to service the region as normal.
The new Agreement takes effect from April 29.