Australia’s Flying Doctor Service to Double Rural Dental Services
The Royal Flying Doctor Service has confirmed that it will double rural dental service provision in light of funding pledges from both major political parties.
Speaking on the Lateline programme last night, Senator Fiona Nash, rural health minister, pledged an additional $11 million of federal funding for the service if the Federal Government is elected this coming weekend. The pledge was subsequently matched by the Labor Party.
The move comes after the Royal Flying Doctor Service warned of a “health crisis” in rural parts of Australia.
Chief executive of the RFDS, Martin Laverty, said that extra funding worth $11 million would enable the service to double provision of rural dental care in the next two years. The RFDS can also launch a brand new dental service in Tasmania, where there has previously been a funding shortage that has prevented any services running.
Last year, the RFDS provided dental care to 15,000 people living in rural Australia and additional funding could boost numbers to around 40,000 in the coming years.
Funding for the urgent medical and dental service was due to expire next year, but the agreement has been renewed until 2019/2020.
The additional cash injection comes after funding worth $20 million was made available for the RFDS in the 2015/2016 budget, which was presented by the coalition government.
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