The region's health district has cleared the way for more clinicians to come to Griffith after teaming up with the Royal Flying Doctors Service.
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The Murrumbidgee Local Health District have linked with the service to allow for consistent flights to Wagga and Griffith during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many regional airlines are forced to pause flights or make heavy cuts to services to ensure they remain in the air.
EastWest and Sharp Airlines had to hit the pause button on flights to and from Griffith in March due to a decline in passengers taking the service due to the pandemic, while Regional Express has announced a heavily reduced schedule of flights to the city as they work to stay in the air despite a large drop in passengers - warning they may be forced to pull out of all NSW services entirely if the airlines application for federal funding is knocked back.
MLHD's patient flow and transport manager Phil Major said the heavy reduction in flights to and from the region left the health district needing to lock down a way to ensure consistent specialist access.
"The cancellation of domestic flights to regional centres became one of our biggest challenges," Mr Major said.
"Partnering with RFDS is a great solution to ensure we are still able to provide fly-in and fly-out services in our region.
"It means we can continue to have access to the specialist staff we need here on the ground."
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Under the partnership between the health district and the service, the RFDS will be sending flights to both the Wagga Wagga and Griffith airports to deliver specialist services as needed and agency nurses when required, with flights due to come in three times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The first flight under the partnership touched ground at Wagga Wagga on Tuesday, bringing four doctors to assist with duties.