The donation, being made to the Australia Unites: Red Cross Flood Appeal, will provide vital humanitarian support, enable volunteers and staff to help with evacuation and relief centres plus outreach services, and assist communities to recover and build resilience to future weather events.

HBF CEO John Van Der Wielen, Ramsay Health Care Australia CEO Carmel Monaghan, and St John of God Health Care CEO Dr Shane Kelly were in unanimous agreement that  Australia’s largest private hospitals and most trusted health fund recognised the need  for private health to help support the affected communities in recovering from the  devastating floods.

In addition to the donation:

• HBF is encouraging its approximately 90 staff based at its Brisbane office to, where possible, assist in the clean-up effort through using their paid  volunteering days. In addition, HBF is offering its members impacted by the  floods three months of premium relief on their health insurance under a disaster relief package.
• Ramsay Health Care has launched a Flood Hardship Assistance Grant to provide  direct financial support to its staff who were displaced when their homes were inundated by floodwaters. Ramsay employees have also been supporting flood affected communities by volunteering with the clean-up, delivering medication to isolated customers, and preparing and donating first aid kits to flood victims.
• Two of St John of God Health Care’s western Sydney hospitals and their employees have been directly impacted by the New South Wales floods and staff  who are unable to get to their normal place of work have shown resilience and  flexibility, working at the hospital closest to their homes in order to ensure  patient care is not adversely impacted.