Objective: To examine the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) field day program as a means of strengthening community capacity within a primary health care context in remote communities of north Queensland.
Design: Qualitative explanatory study using in-depth face-to-face and phone interviews with field day participants, field day coordinators and RFDS staff and a focus group with RFDS staff.
Setting: Rural and remote communities of north Queensland that participate in RFDS field days.
Results: Field days were found to be contributing to building capacity for health in the remote communities that have been involved in field days. Participants reported increased linkages and partnerships; increased participation; improved problem-solving capacity and increased knowledge transfer associated with the conduct of RFDS field days.
Conclusion: RFDS field days represent a viable framework for building community capacity for health in remote communities within a primary health care context.