NETS’ inaugural newborn helicopter retrieval

The Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) Neonatal Emergency Transport Service (NETS) WA team undertook its first helicopter retrieval of a baby from Bunbury on Thursday 29 December.

The neonatal patient was the first to be transported directly to Perth Children’s Hospital via the RAC Rescue helicopter.

Having the ability to transport neonatal patients via the RAC Rescue helicopter is the culmination of many years of hard work with stakeholders in and outside of NETS, including the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, CHC helicopters and St John’s Ambulance.

NETS Medical Director Jonathan Davis said that having access to a helicopter service for neonatal transportation will allow significant time saving in the delivery of neonatal health care services.

“The use of the RAC Rescue helicopter meant that the time to retrieve this patient from Bunbury was reduced by a third.

“The recent expansion and investment in NETS by CAHS has brought about the capacity to introduce these changes.

“We hope this helicopter retrieval will be the first of many,” he said.

There has been an increase in demand for NETS WA over the past 10 years with total transports increasing from 776 in 2011 to almost 1,300 last year.

The RAC Rescue helicopters are sponsored by RAC, funded by the State Government and managed by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).