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Telstra Child Flight has lost out to CareFlight for a four and a half year NSW government contract to fly medical teams from the newborn and paediatric emergency transport service (NETS) in Sydney.
From January 1, the 24-hour service to transfer medical teams and patients from anywhere in NSW to leading hospitals in Sydney, Newcastle and Canberra will be operated by CareFlight’s Bell 412 and BK-117 helicopters based at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney.
CEO of the national aeromedical charity Derek Colenbrander said: “The long history of caring for kids means we are the ideal service to undertake this very important mission in partnership with the NSW government. This is welcome news for the community which has supported our charity so strongly over the past 26 years through donations, the purchase of CareFlight bears and other fundraising activities,” Colenbrander added.
However, the contract award has come as a blow for the Telstra Child Flight service, which has operated the service for 23 years: “After more than two decades in the air, the only emergency helicopter service specialising in the transport of critically ill kids has lost its Ambulance NSW contract to a new operator,” Child Flight said in a statement.
“With less than six weeks before contract commencement, the new contractor will be challenged to be a service equal to Child Flight, which raises concerns for the communities affected and questions about the fairness of the NSW government’s tender process.”
NJP
says:I hope the decision for change has been made for the right reasons and not just financial ones.
These people do a fantastic job as well as the NETS ambulance service who have twice transported my critically ill son between hospitals – thank you for everything you do.
Dane
says:Telstra probably tried to send the work off shore
Teri White
says:Telstra has nothing to do with it. They very kindly supported Child Flight as major sponsor for many years. They were not involved in the government contract to fly NETS teams to kids. (NETS is also a very wonderful organisation)
John
says:This is a knife to the thoat of Telsra
Childflight. My son was rescued by TCF
in 2004. The service of NETS and TCF was
a cut above the rest. My son could be
dead today if it was not for this
service. We can never have not enough
helicopters in the air to rescue kids
and people. It is great, to hear
Careflight boast about the tender. WHAT
ABOUT THOSE WHO NO LONGER HAVE A JOB
AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
Martin
says:Perhaps CareFlight and Child Flight could consolidate efforts so that the skills of the Child Flight personnel are taken over into the new service?