Advanced Life Support (ALS) workshops to be more accessible for regional and rural GPs

GPs in disaster affected rural communities will have better access to lifesaving and industry mandated training thanks to an NAB Foundation grant awarded to NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN).

NAB Foundation is an independent charity dedicated to supporting long-term recovery after natural disasters and has awarded RDN $35,000 to host Advanced Life Support (ALS) workshops in locations more accessible to regional and rural GPs.

Delivering the workshops closer to home for rural GPs promotes more equitable health access, will improve professional capability, reduce travel time and costs and aims to mitigate burnout whilst supporting local community and promoting better health outcomes in rural communities.

RDN CEO, Richard Colbran, welcomes the funding and says ALS skills and capabilities are critically important in rural settings. 

“We’re excited to partner with NAB Foundation to deliver this life-saving training to GPs within their own community,” Mr Colbran said.

“With COVID-19 and successive natural disasters such as bushfires and flooding, the need for critical life-saving skills and pre-hospital stabilisation has become an increasing priority in rural communities.

“ALS skills and capabilities are critically important in a rural setting, as reduced access to hospitals heightens the need for early and effective stabilisation to maximise the likelihood of patient survival,” he said.

The ALS workshops will provide a set of life-saving protocols and skills for cardiac emergencies to rural GPs, promoting community cohesion and more equitable access in emergency situations.

The NAB Foundation Team said it is proud to be supporting RDN.  

“NAB is here to help customers, colleagues and their communities withstand and recover from natural disasters, so we’re incredibly proud to be supporting the NSW Rural Doctors Network and the work they’re doing in the community through the NAB Foundation Community Grants program,” said a spokesperson for NAB Foundation.   

“Such a deserving recipient - the grant will go a long way in supporting the rural and regional doctor network and their emergency response in rural and remote areas,” the spokesperson said. 

The NAB Foundation Community Grants program is part of NAB Ready Together, an initiative that helps customers, colleagues and their communities withstand natural disasters. RDN was one of only four (out of a total 55) grant recipients to be chosen by a poll of NAB colleagues to receive an additional $25,000 each to scale their projects for long-term social impact. 

RDN will be working with towns in rural locations across NSW to deliver the workshops in 2023. Due to the complex and practical nature of the content, ALS workshops must be held in person and cannot exceed a one instructor to six participants ratio (Australian Resuscitation Council 2022).

Further information regarding the Workshops will be made available on the RDN website in early 2023.