Rural and Regional Air Transport and Other Services

⁠⁠⁠This RFI will be used to inform high level strategic direction in the future.

Scope

• Inter-hospitals transfers across regional and rural NSW
• Fixed wing transport for clinicians to provide health services in rural and remote communities
• Medical services (Primary Health Care) clinics in Far West Local Health District
• Remote Oral health services in Far West Local Health District
• Drug and Alcohol information and counselling services in Far West Local Health District

Interhospital Transfer Services across regional and rural NSW

The aims and objectives of this service is to provide fixed-wing Inter-hospital Transfer (IHT) Services across regional and rural NSW, including but not limited to Far West LHD and Western NSW LHD. This service supports the Air Ambulance Service to provide equity of access to health facilities for all NSW residents by providing a fast, safe and reliable method of transporting sick and injured patients over long distances. The service requires the provision of:

(c) Fixed-wing Inter-hospital Transfer Services from fixed-wing bases located in regional NSW, 24 hours a day, seven days a week;

(c) Fixed-wing pre-hospital services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week if needed; and

(c) Road vehicle to support for IHT and pre-hospital services from fixed-wing bases located in regional NSW, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The aircraft must meet NSW Ambulance specific requirements regarding operational requirements, cabin configuration, aircraft electrical, aircraft tracking and on-board video monitoring system, and livery. The road vehicle must meet NSW Ambulance specified requirements, including medical requirements.

The provider of this service is to also provide crew (clinical, aviation, engineering and ground handling), bases, equipment, aircraft maintenance, training (clinical and aviation) and other items/tasks necessary to provide the services.

The performance of the services will be measured against specified Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that include, but is not limited to, aircraft operational availability, crew availability and operational responsive time to mission taskings.

Fixed wing transport for clinicians to provide health services in rural and remote communities

The aims and objectives of the service are to provide fixed-wing transport to health professionals so they may provide health services to people living in rural and remote communities in areas where:

· there are no local appropriate health professionals available;

· there is no regular commercial airline service; and

· alternative means of transport require greater than three (3) hours travel each way.

Geographic areas for the service are:

· Western NSW Local Health District

· Hunter New England Local Health District

· Murrumbidgee Local Health District

The activity includes:

· development of a flight schedule in collaboration with NSW Health.

· the provision of Aircraft for the use of NSW Health in accordance with the Flight Schedule;

· all personnel, assets, equipment for the safe and satisfactory carrying out of the provision of the aircraft; and

· all related activity, responsibilities and roles not specifically described but which are incidental to or connected to or are required for the proper performance and provision of the Activity.

Medical Services (Primary Health Care) Clinics in Far West Local Health District

Aims and objectives of the service include:

Primary health clinical services to isolated areas, and wherever possible in a multi-disciplinary context ensuring coordinated management and provision of patient health care. This involves provision of general practice services (GP services) nursing and allied health services at regular intervals as required.

The activity includes provision of the below services:

· Ivanhoe- a minimum of two (2) General Practice Clinics per week, and the provision of 24/7 medical support to staff (via telephone, telemedicine or onsite medical presence) in managing emergency presentations to the hospital during and after hours;

· Menindee- a minimum of thirteen (13) General Practice Clinics per month (except February), and the provision of 24/7 medical support to staff (via telephone, telemedicine or onsite medical presence) in managing emergency presentations to the hospital during and after hours;

· Tibooburra- a minimum of/our (4) General Practice Clinics per month, and the provision of 24/7 medical support to staff (via telephone, telemedicine or onsite medical presence) in managing emergency presentations to the hospital during and after hours;

· Wanaaring- a minimum of one (1) General Practice Clinics per month at the Wanaaring Health Clinic;

· White Cliffs- a minimum of one (1) General Practice Clinics per month and the provision of 24/7 medical support to staff (via telephone, telemedicine or onsite medical presence) in managing emergency presentations to the hospital during and after hours; and

· Wilcannia- a minimum of three (3) General Practice Clinics per week, and the provision of 24/7 medical support to staff (via telephone, telemedicine or onsite medical presence) in managing emergency presentations to the multi-purpose service during and after hours, and the provision of inpatient treatment and care including the care of nursing home type patients and other inpatients as required.

In some of the above Communities, the service may also provide support to health facility staff and voluntary auxiliary ambulance drivers in their role of providing local road retrieval of patients requiring care.

Remote Oral health services in Far West Local Health District

Aims and objectives of the service include:

· Ensuring access to free oral health services for all eligible residents of remote communities across Far West LHD.

· Residents who are not eligible for public oral health services may be seen on a fee for service basis after all eligible residents waiting for care have been appointed.

· Delivery of oral health services to remote communities across Far West LHD in line with the Priority Oral Health Program (POHP) policy (PD2017_023).

· Improved oral health outcomes for people living in remote Far West LHD locations, including Aboriginal people in our remote communities.

The activity includes:

· Provision of a suitably qualified, experienced and credentialed Dentist who is employed by Your Organisation, to attend all planned outreach dental clinics to provide oral health care. All clinics will occur in Far West LHD facilities equipped with a dental chair and necessary equipment.

· Your Organisation will be responsible for the clinical supervision of the Dentists you employ.

· Scheduling flights or road transport to each clinic.

Locations of clinics include:

· Ivanhoe (flight clinic)

· Menindee (drive clinic)

· Tibooburra (flight clinic)

· White Cliffs (flight clinic)

· Wilcannia (flight clinic)

· Buronga/Dareton/Balranald (drive clinic)

· Bush clinics within the Western NSW Local Health District footprint where flights are originated from the Broken Hill base including at Louth, Tilpa, Hungerford and Wanaaring

Drug and Alcohol Information and Counselling Services in Far West Local Health District

The Aims and objectives of the service include:

· Provide suitably qualified, experienced and credentialed staff to attend drug and alcohol (D&A) assessment and treatment and referral services to remote communities within Far West NSW.

· Provide D&A assessment and treatment and referral services to remote communities in Far West NSW.

· Community education surround D&A issues.

· D&A consultation and Liaison Services for health service providers and other agencies to the communities of the unincorporated Far West e.g.: Tibooburra, White Cliffs, Ivanhoe, Menindee and Wilcannia.

· Enhance community and individual knowledge of issues relating to drugs and alcohol

· Increase community and agency awareness of D&A services available and how to access these services.

· Increased referral, to D&A service for assessment

· Increased referrals out to designated treatment service

· Increased contact from internal and external partners or consultation and liaison in regard to D&A.

· (Participation in interagency networks with other O&A service stakeholders (eg AOD Day Program, CDAT)

Locations of clinics include:

· Ivanhoe (flight clinic)

· Menindee (drive clinic)

· Tibooburra (flight clinic)

· White Cliffs (flight clinic)

· Wilcannia (flight clinic)

Please see attached files in the link for more information

Primary contact:

Michael Donnolley

Email: michael.donnolley@health.nsw.gov.au