The State Government has enlisted the help of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) to boost mental health services in regional Queensland.
The $1.4 million Drought Wellbeing Service will fly mental health specialists to five drought-hit health service districts.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said the RFDS was well-placed to help the communities it regularly supported.
“As we then move to fill in the gaps into the communities where we need to have more advanced care in regards to psychologists, clinical support workers, it was obvious to us that the Royal Flying Doctor Service not only had the standing but the expertise and the ability to quickly get into those communities and to service them,” he said.
Mr Springborg said it would ensure communities most in need did not miss out on the care they needed.
“There will be four psychologists, clinical support workers and also we will have telehealth available and that’s really one of the important things were telehealth works well is that you can actually see people, support people from a long way away and also there will be strong linkages with local service providers,” he said.