Rural doctors are dedicated to their patients and communities. But, what happens when a rural GP needs healthcare?

Well, for rural GP, Dr Sue Masel it means a 700 km round trip to Brisbane to see a GP. 

Working in the only medical practice in town, Sue’s only other option is to be treated by one of her colleagues.  

“I totally respect the skills and experience of the colleagues that I work with   is not her colleague.  an independent GP A car crash is traumatic. But imagine how much worse it would be if you were on a rural road, far from the nearest hospital. This is what people living in rural communities experience too often.

And this is what happened as a small rural community  prepared to celebrate the Christmas season. A doctor was travelling home from a late shift at their clinic and came across a head on collision. It was dark, and the road was empty. The doctor only had a tackle box in his car containing basic medical supplies.

Sadly, this wasn’t enough.

Following immediate triage and further paramedic support, one patient was taken to hospital with  suspected spinal injury and the second pronounced dead at the scene.

This was not the Christmas their families were expecting.

The outcome may have been different if the doctor had a fully equipped emergency trauma kit.  With this kit, the doctor would have been better equipped and possibly saved the life of the second accident victim.