QAS Insight Summer 2022-2023

Welcome Retrieval Services Queensland

In October the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) welcomed Retrieval Services Queensland (RSQ) into our ranks.

In October the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) welcomed Retrieval Services Queensland (RSQ) into our ranks.

This transition is part of the Department of Health’s Business Case for Change initiative and QAS is thrilled to have such a highly respected team on board.

RSQ is responsible for the clinical and logistic coordination of all aeromedical patient retrievals and transfers from parts of Northern New South Wales to the Torres Strait Islands, including coordinating all aeromedical resources as part of Queensland’s major incidents response and is also embedded in the State’s Disaster Coordination Centre.

It not only provides statewide clinical and operational leadership and governance for Queensland Health’s contracted and Hospital and Health Service retrieval services and aeromedical transport providers, but also delivers specialist telehealth emergency clinical support, training and education to clinicians working in rural, regional and remote emergency departments with a focus on initial resuscitation and preparing patients for aeromedical transfer.

RSQ also provides the supporting business, publishing, project, policy, procurement, data and applications management that ensures the various aeromedical services that are tasked are safe, responsive, efficient and support equity of access to our communities and patients.

RSQ’s leadership team includes Executive Dir ector Dr Mark Elcock PSM, Medical Director Dr Brett Hoggard, Nursing/Service Director Donna McLean and Governance and Performance Director Michael Cussen.

Mark said RSQ’s move to QAS made good sense.

“This is a strategic and sensible integration of statewide front line clinical services,” Mark said.

“We are excited about joining QAS as it will provide further opportunities to improve our clinical support to rural, regional and remote patients and their communities.”

According to QAS Commissioner Craig Emery, RSQ’s move to QAS also speaks to one of the QAS’s most innovative strategic objectives in Health System Integration.

“It speaks to our service’s growing role in the broader health system and our ongoing commitment to ensuring the right care to the right patients at the right time,” Craig said.

Stay turned for our next edition when we’ll put the leadership team in the spotlight!

RSQ leadership team - Dr Mark Elcock, Donna McLean, Dr Brett Hoggard and Michael Cussen.