When time is of the essence.
When time is of the essence and distance is an issue, the New Zealand Flying Doctor Service is the only option for many patients.
This service provides critical-care patient transfer services between hospitals across New Zealand.
As a flying intensive care unit with highly trained medical staff and specialist equipment, patients receive a seamless level of care from bed to bed- they are in the safest of hands.
The service operates 24/7 transferring critical care burn victims, spinal injury patients, neonatal transfers, trauma victims, surgery transfers, organ delivery, and blood or equipment supplies.
Flight times from Christchurch to:-
- Greymouth 30 minutes
- Nelson 45 minutes
- Wellington 50 minutes
- Auckland 1 hour 50 minutes
- Invercargill 1 hour
- Chatham Islands 2 hours 30 minutes
The New Zealand Flying Doctor Service flies, on average, over 1,000 patients each year.
10
Christchurch
4
Nelson
Missions
It has been a busy 2023 for the New Zealand Flying Doctor Critical-Care Patient Transfer Services Air Ambulance with 1289 missions, predominantly across the South Island, but also with flights to Starship, Taranaki, Wellington, New Plymouth, Tauranga and the Chatham Island. The missions have been split fairly evenly between the Christchurch and Nelson bases.
22
Part time
22
Part time
Why do we need support now?
Mission numbers have increased significantly in recent years resulting in a deficit between the government funding available (Te Whatu Ora) and the demand for the service.
A new purpose built patient oriented Emergency Air Facility has also increased costs and new technologies and training are available to enhance patient outcomes.