A purpose-built facility for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Sale was officially opened by Minister for Health Jill Hennessy.

In Sale with Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing MP to represent Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford, Ms Hennessy said the Victorian Government was proud to invest $360,000 in a project to redevelop office space in the Sale Hospital precinct for the Royal Flying Doctor Service Mobile Patient Care.

Mobile Patient Care transports patients to specialist treatment between hospitals or home as comfortably, efficiently and quickly as possible, with the best available care.

The funding enabled the service to move from inadequate premises in Maffra to a Wellington Shire Council building, co-locating with Central Gippsland Health in Sale.

Without the relocation the service would have been forced to move its administrative operations to Melbourne, resulting in the loss of 12 administration jobs to the local area.

The project has secured those local jobs and has the potential to add two new positions to the service.

The project included building a 300 square metre shed with concrete tilt slab walls and panel doors for vehicle storage and management and refurbishing existing office space.

Victorian Government funding for the $543,000 Royal Flying Doctor Service Relocation Project was provided to Wellington Shire Council, which contributed $183,000.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford

“This project ensures the Royal Flying Doctor Service retains a critical presence in Sale and local jobs are not lost from the region.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy

“This valuable community project will meet patient transport demands across the region. It will fulfil the health needs of rural people and deliver an improved quality of service.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“It makes good sense to house the RFDS with Central Gippsland Health in Sale, and this project makes the best use of shared facilities and training for mobile patient care.”