Working with Australian communities
A groundswell of support
Patients and clinicians in rural and remote Australia reinforce that an urgent solution is needed.
As a key member of the Australian Stroke Alliance, the Royal Flying Doctor Service has recently conducted a nation-wide survey of over 650 Australians to better understand the experiences of stroke survivors and their families in different parts of Australia.
It’s not surprising that the concept of bringing the hospital to the patient is strongly supported with 86.5% of consumers endorsing a pre-hospital Mobile Stroke Unit to deliver time critical therapy.
Rural and remote communities deserve the best in healthcare, too.
Powerful connections
The Alliance has five dynamic advisory groups to ensure our research and outreach is relevant, appropriate and understood.
We are extremely grateful to be supported by the nation’s peak consumer organisation, the Stroke Foundation, and the country’s iconic Royal Flying Doctor Service. These two organisations have deep connections with stroke survivors across Australia and, through them, we listen and learn.
As well, our Stroke Champions Network and Rural and Remote Health Advisory Council offer feedback from doctors and nurses in rural and remote hospitals throughout the nation.
We have brought together:
- a Strategic Advisory Council
- an Indigenous Leadership Council
- a State Champions network
- a Consumer Council, and
- a Rural and Remote Health Advisory Council
Consulting with community groups provides the driving force behind all that we do. We are humbled to contemplate the potential impact our research may have on real lives.
We also have great difficulties to treat acute stroke patients in the Top End. Patients from remote communities never get here in time. We see young patients with large strokes that arrive out of the time window. We have sent a few patients to South Australia, but the time of transport is always more than 12 hours.