From 2014 to 2017, the RFDS transferred 2,257 patients for serious mental health problems. Imagine being in the throes of an acute mental health episode and having to travel to an unfamiliar place, thousands of kilometres from family and friends, for life-saving treatment. A study has found 2,257 patients were transferred by the RFDS between 2014 and 2017 for mental or behavioural disorders Sixty-two per cent of the patients were men and 35 per cent identified as Indigenous The average distance patients travelled was 406km, but trips could reach up to 2,000km This increasingly common reality for Australians in rural and remote communities has prompted renewed calls for more specialist clinicians in the country. As researchers urge governments to "rethink" their approach, one Indigenous psychologist is leading the charge to address the gap in care. The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has long been acknowledged as a lifeline for […]