Australian RAAF aircraft used to take obese woman to hospital

Apr 9 2008

The chartering of an RAAF Hercules to transport an obese patient to hospital has triggered a heated debate.

It seems Queensland Health was forced to use this option to take a 240 kilogram patient from Mt Isa to Townsville on the weekend because it had no ambulances or planes big enough to transport the woman.

The woman is apparently too large to be safely carried in aircraft operated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service which are unable to carry patients heavier than 150kg.

But the Rural Doctors Association says other less expensive options should have been considered rather than using expensive defence aircraft.

The Association says Queensland Health has access to Land Cruiser-type ambulances that carry out four-wheel drive retrieval work, which may have been able to carry such a weight.

The Association's state president, John Hall, says the money could have been better spent and health staff should have considered their options.

The Hercules was reportedly from the RAAF base at Richmond, Sydney; such aircraft are thought to cost as much as about $13,000 an hour to operate.

On that basis the nine-hour operation would cost in excess of $100,000 and it does indicate the mounting difficulties being experienced by health and other authorities in dealing with obesity.

According to a Townsville Hospital spokesman this was not the first time the hospital had called upon the Defence Force to help out.

Queensland Health authorities have been obliged to order bigger stretchers and both Victoria and New South Wales have "super-ambulances" capable of carrying patients up to 350kg some with hydraulic lifting equipment.