The flying surgical services initiative is an agreement between South West Hospital and Health Service (SWHHS), Central West Hospital and Health Service (CWHHS) and Metro North Hospital and Health Service (MNHHS).
The flying surgeons
Initiative Type
Service Improvement
Status
Deliver
Added
Last updated
Summary
Key dates
Jul 2018
Feb 2020
Implementation sites
SWHHS and CWHHS with a surgical CSCF of level 3 and above
Partnerships
SWHHS, CWHHS and MNHHS, CEQ, HPSP
Aim
To provide surgical services locally to regional and rural communities in a timely manner.
Benefits
Patients are closer to home which results in big cost savings and they also have faster access to surgery.
Background
The Flying Specialist Services (FSS) provides an emergency call out service throughout Queensland, and as such, absolute priority is given to emergency flights. The FSS has four permanent seats allocated to a Flying Obstetrician or Gynaecologist, Flying Surgeon, Flying Anaesthetist and Flying Clinical Nurse Consultant. The flying surgical services have been very successful to date.
Solutions Implemented
- increase the number of hospitals where care is being provided
- procedures are performed locally
- specialist outpatient Services are performed locally
Evaluation and Results
- The flying surgical services have been very successful to date with numbers increasing.
- The first of the service was recently evaluated, all parties are very happy with the model of care, the local member and board chair are equally happy as id the community.
- The surgeons providing the surgical services enjoy the experience and are continuing in the role for another year.
- The actual surgical outcomes will be provided.
Lessons Learnt
Safe surgical care can be provided at rural and regional sites successfully.
