Royal Flying Doctor Queensland (Section) Podcast

It's certainly no secret that the toll on our mental health was one of the most significant but often hidden costs of the pandemic. If you are still feeling the impacts of a few long and hard years, you are not alone. RFDS Clinical Lead for Outback Mental Health, Dr Tim Driscoll joins us to chat about the toolkit you will need if you're still feeling the long term affects of the pandemic.

Jacinta Jones is the State Manager for Aeromedical Nursing and has worked for the Flying Doctor for more than a decade. But nothing could have prepared her for flying on the front line during the pandemic. In this episode, Jacinta shared what goes through clinical staff's minds when they retrieve COVID positive patients, how they navigated the fear that PPE gear provoked and the integral role the RFDS played in the roll out of the COVID vaccines.

In this episode of the Small Talk, Big Difference podcast, RFDS Clinical Lead for Outback Mental Health Dr Tim Driscoll speaks with Stephanie Donovan, a Senior Mental Health Clinician in Disaster Recovery for the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service. Across her career, Stephanie has worked in impacted communities of natural disasters, including supporting the Lockyer Valley community following the 2011 floods, Northern QLD after cyclone Yasi and the Sunshine Coast community after the 2019 bushfires. Here, she explains some common reactions to potentially traumatic experiences, and her advice to help people manage their mental wellbeing.

In the latest episode of the Small Talk, Big Difference podcast, RFDS Clinical Lead for Outback Mental Health Dr Tim Driscoll reflects on his conversation with Rockhampton SES Local Controller Eddie Cowie. Eddie experienced the impact of compounding stress when he lost his farm and livelihood in the 2019 bushfires, not long after surviving extreme droughts, and a cyclone. Faced with a long road to recovery - financially and emotionally - Eddie called upon the resources that were available to help improve his mental health. Listen to find out how a small talk made a world of difference.

Do you know how you would handle an emergency situation, or how you would go about recovering after losing your home and livelihood? It's a situation nobody wants to be in, but in 2019, Rockhamptom SES Local Controller Eddie Cowie had to figure out the answers to those questions - quickly. After bushfires engulfed his farm and he fought to help his community evacuate the flames, Eddie faced an unimaginable road to recovery both financially and emotionally. Here, he speaks with RFDS Clinical Lead for Outback Mental Health Dr Tim Driscoll about the steps he took, and shares how a cup of tea and conversation with a mate made the world of difference.

Fast advice with Dr Tim Driscoll [Part 1] by Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section)

The 2019 bushfires left destruction and devastation in their wake, and will forever be burnt into the memories of those who encountered them. In this episode of the Small Talk, Big Difference podcast we talk to one of those people about his experience. Tony Wellspring is a high school teacher and Rural Fire Brigade volunteer from Yeppoon who responded to the 2019 bushfires. Here, he shares his advice about the importance of seeking support from others, and how to recover from such an event.

A regular relaxation and meditation practice enables the body and mind to deeply rest and relax, providing a restorative break from busyness for the mind and body. This guided meditation will take you through a full body relaxation.

A regular relaxation and meditation practice enables the body and mind to deeply rest and relax, providing a restorative break from busyness for the mind and body. This guided meditation will take you through a full body relaxation.

A regular relaxation and meditation practice enables the body and mind to deeply rest and relax, providing a restorative break from busyness for the mind and body. This guided meditation will take you through a full body relaxation.

This episode focusses on how to have a conversation with someone if you are concerned about their mental health. It offers practical tips for how to approach the conversation, and why it is important to do so.

Communication is key to maintaining positive personal and professional relationships. In the latest episode of our RFDS podcast, Senior Mental Health Clinician Sharyn Bunn explores why healthy communication can be hard to achieve. By thinking about how we can communicate, we can improve the effectiveness of our communication skills.

What can you do if substance use is negatively impacting on your life or someone that you know? This podcast episode of our Small Talk, Big Difference campaign explores drug and alcohol harm minimisation, providing information to help yourself or others.

The holiday season is a joyous occasion but can be a difficult time for those struggling with mental health concerns.   Often, your GP or local health centre can be a good place to start, offering direct support and linking you in with professionals who can help you through the hard times.   Talking to your GP about mental health is the same as consulting a doctor about your physical health.   Learn more in the latest podcast episode of our Small Talk, Big Difference campaign, which is providing information and resources to help support mental health and wellbeing.

This time of year can provide a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with a loved one.   Building a loving relationship, or repairing one, takes time, effort and commitment.   This podcast episode explores intimate relationships with your spouse or partner. The principles, however, can be applied to enhance and enrich any relationship.   Learn about the processes which are detrimental to intimacy and vitality and receive practical advice to nurture your relationships.   The podcast forms part of our Small Talk, Big Difference campaign, which is providing information and resources to help support their mental health and wellbeing.

Chatting to friends and family can seem like second nature to some of us, but for others it can be difficult, and even more so during the pandemic. Technology has changed the way we communicate and is helping us stay connected, especially for those living in rural and remote Australia. From family friendly games to voice activated messaging, there is something for everyone to stay in touch. Belinda Challis who is the ICT Service Manager for the RFDS talks tech, security and all you need to know to keep safe and connected during the pandemic.

Learning the art of saying ‘no' can help manage feelings of being stressed and overwhelmed with life. If you are always running on empty and find it difficult to say ‘no,' then Dr Tim Driscoll from the RFDS Outback Mental Health team has some simple strategies that could help you manage daily demands, reduce your stress and improve your overall wellbeing.

Relaxing is not something we think about when we are stressed and overwhelmed, but taking some time out of your day to be mindful and present can actually help reduce burn out. Sharyn Bunn is a Senior Mental Health Clinician for the RFDS, who explains how to practice relaxation techniques, how to make time in your busy day and other ways to quiet your mind. It might surprise you to find out how simple changes can make a big difference to your productivity, sleep and general wellbeing.

Sleeping is something we all do, but it's not always as simple as hopping into bed and nodding off. For some catching forty winks can be tricky and not getting enough sleep or of having poor quality sleep can seriously affect our mental health. The good news is that there are many things you can do to get a better nights sleep! Cath Walker is an RFDS Mental Health and Well-being Consultant for the RFDS (Queensland Section).

In this 3 part-series, you'll hear the stories of 3 different nursing careers from within the organization - from an outback flight nurse, to a male flight nurse and a former nurse, now our CEO. This time, you'll hear from RFDS Queensland Section CEO, Meredith Staib who started out her career as a retrieval nurse on the Sunshine Coast. There are two consistent themes in Meredith's career – medicine and aviation. In this interview, you'll hear more about her journey from retrieval nurse to CEO.

In this 3 part-series, you'll hear the stories of 3 different nursing careers from within the organization - from an outback flight nurse, to a male flight nurse and a former nurse, now our CEO. This time, you'll hear from Charleville based Flight Nurse, Courtney Bylett. Courtney grew up in the city, but always longed to be on the family property. She started her nursing career in the remote regions of Western Australia, before returning home to Queensland to join the Flying Doctor. She's now been with the service 8 years and says she's learnt a lot in her time. Listen to the podcast to hear more about her phenomenal career.

In this 3 part-series, you'll hear the stories of 3 different nursing careers from within the organisation - from an outback flight nurse, to a male flight nurse and a former nurse, now our CEO. First up is RFDS Flight Nurse Hayden Wilson. Men make up only 11% of the nursing workforce in Australia, so Hayden has often been in the minority throughout his career. But, growing up on Norfolk Island, he always knew nursing was the career for him – helping out the local ambulance service whenever he could and taking first aid courses with the cadets. From there he's come a long way – and he's now an RFDS Flight Nurse and has been with the Service in Rockhampton for 2 years and his wife is also a flight nurse with the RFDS, together they have a beautiful baby girl. Listen to the podcast to hear his journey to becoming an RFDS Flight Nurse.

Everyone knows that kids like to ask questions, and the topic of the Coronavirus is no exception! So, we thought we'd answer a few of them with the help of RFDS (Queensland Section) Head Medical Consultant Dr Katie Clift. Thanks to 8yo Ellie from Brisbane, Harry from Rockhampton, 15 year old Scott and 12 yo Max and Charlie from Wrotham Park Station as well as 5yo Ellie and 9yo Robert from Gilberton Station.

As the numbers of people testing positive for Coronavirus rise around the world, so too are many people's anxiety levels. So how can you protect your mental health and that of your family, friends and colleagues as we deal with the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic? Dr Tim Driscoll, the Clinical Lead for the RFDS (Queensland Section) Outback Mental Health Team, has some valuable tips and advice. Find more information on COVID-19 here: https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert If you or anyone you know needs help you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or contact them via their website: https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/online-services/crisis-chat

Dr Katie Clift is the Head Medical Consultant for the RFDS (Queensland Section), today, she's joining us on the podcast to give us some helpful information around COVID-19 & what steps you should be taking if you're living or working in a remote, rural or regional area. For more information head here: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19 *This podcast is intended for general information only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any concerns, consult your local GP or health professional.

Terry Latchman is one of the RFDS (Queensland Section)pilots in Rockhampton. He always wanted to fly, but actually went to university to study mechanical engineering. He dropped out before gaining his degree and then spent years working in a completely unrelated field before saving up the money to gain his pilot's licence. He's now been with the RFDS for 5 and a half years. This is his story.

David started his career on a property in the Gulf Country of North West Queensland, mustering cattle – flying at high speeds only 10-50 feet off the ground with no help from technology. His varied career in aviation has also seen him work as a Coast Watch Pilot on Thursday Island and later spend 20 years flying long haul for Qantas and also fly for Air Vanuatu. He's now the Senior Base Pilot in Mount Isa for the RFDS (Queensland Section), this is his story!

The RFDS is home to some of the most highly regarded pilots in the world. Their skill and expertise are second to none, but many of them didn't start their careers in aviation. Many of them have had very successful careers in completely unrelated fields. One of them is Brisbane Senior Base Pilot, Steve Wallace, who had a 10 year career in banking before deciding to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. He's now been with the Flying Doctor for just as long! Edwina Stott sat down with him to hear his route to the runway.

The Routes to the Runway Series from the Royal Flying Doctor (Queensland Section) podcast is giving you access to some of the most highly skilled & experienced pilots in the world. In this episode, you'll hear Victoria Harrison's story. Victoria was only the 10th female pilot to graduate into the Royal Australian Air Force. She spent 18 years flying VIPs out of Canberra, then went on to fly Caribou aircraft in Timor & Papua New Guinea, before becoming a flying instructor. She's now a pilot for the RFDS Queensland Section in Townsville and this years marks her 10th with the organization. This is her story.

The RFDS Queensland Section's 20 strong fleet is kept in the sky by our team of 70 highly skilled pilots. They are all the best at what they do, but how their stories and how they came to their careers in aviation are often completely different. In the Routes to the Runway series we'll hear some of the stories and get to know some of the pilots who help keep the Doctor flying. Charleville Senior Base pilot, Nick Tully grew up on a station between Quilpie and Windorah in Western Queensland. As one of 10 children, the Flying Doctor was frequently called upon. Nick now flies for the Service in Charleville, close to where he grew up and often flies people he's known his whole life. Listen to the podcast to hear more of his story and what it's like to fly for the service.

The Flying Doctor in Queensland can be with a patient anywhere in the state within 2 hours by air. Sometimes though, even a couple of hours isn't quick enough. That's when the RFDS medical chest becomes an essential tool for living remotely. The chest can provide lifesaving medication while patients wait for the Service to arrive and is also used in non urgent cases enabling doctors to prescribe medication from one of the 1,200 chemist like boxes dotted around the state. In you'll hear Annette Saleta, the State Services Coordinator in Queensland as well as with Betty from Eromanga and Trevor from SeaSwift who use the service both on land and sea! Read more about the service here: https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/qld/our-services/telehealth-medical-chests/

Greg King is the Royal Flying Doctor's longest serving remote pilot in Queensland. He's flown over 1.6 million nautical miles – which is the equivalent of four return trips to the moon! Now, though after close to 20 years in Mount Isa, he's hanging up his wings and heading out of town.