Addressing loneliness through community pharmacies
Research has shown that loneliness has a significant impact on a person’s physical, cognitive, and mental health, including a 26% increased risk of premature death (similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day). Loneliness has also been linked to a 32% increased risk of stroke, a 29% increased risk of coronary heart disease, high cholesterol and
Healthy North Coast’s Jo Winwood joins Medicubes podcast for two-part conversation
Healthy North Coast’s very own Jo Winwood, Associate Director Aged Care & Living Well, recently appeared in two episodes of the Medicubes industry podcast. In the first, titled ‘From Invisibility to Empowerment: Healthy Ageing’, she discusses aged care in Australia, recent reforms driven by the Royal Commission, and the practical implications for general practice teams
Care finders help older adults navigate the aged care system
Care finders is a free service that helps older adults connect with the aged care supports they need. It’s designed for people who face significant barriers to accessing services. Care finders walk alongside each person at their own pace, taking the time to understand their unique circumstances and guiding them through every step to get
Knee osteoarthritis clinical trial: Now recruiting
The COASTAL Study – Improving Knee Osteoarthritis Care The University of Sydney is leading the COASTAL study to test new, accessible models of care for adults aged 45+ with knee osteoarthritis. Participants join a 6-month program delivered face-to-face, via telehealth, or through a mobile app. Findings will help shape future osteoarthritis management across Australia. Find
Holiday fun in Coffs Harbour!
Join headspace Coffs Harbour for some great FREE activities these school holidays! Gaming night Thursday 22 January 2026 5pm-7:30pm Level 1, Harry Bailey Memorial Library, Yarrila Place, 27 Gordon St Coffs Harbour There will be 2 Switch consoles set up with teams of up to 4 (games TBC by our young leaders council). Other games
Happy holidays!
We’re taking a break… Our offices will be closed for the Christmas/New Year period from 5pm Friday 19 December, re-opening at 9am on Monday 29 December. For urgent queries, please email us at contact@hnc.org.au. This inbox will be monitored throughout the office closure period by an on-call staff member. Merry Christmas and a happy new
Outreach ADHD Clinic launches in Yamba to tackle long waitlists across the Clarence Valley
L-R: Dr Vysalan Srianandaraja – GP Yamba Doctors, Bel Davis – ADHD CNC Co-Management Coordinator, Paediatrician Dr Andrew Kennedy. A new Outreach ADHD Clinic has commenced in Yamba, marking a critical step toward addressing the significant backlog of children awaiting ADHD assessment through Grafton Paediatric Outpatients. With over 500 children on the waitlist –
UNSW Medicine local graduation ceremony: Class of 2025
Coffs Harbour, Friday 21 November 2025 – The UNSW Clinical Medical School proudly marked its graduation ceremony, recognising the achievements of 17 of its newest medical graduates and their contributions to the local community. At the ceremony, Dr Adrian Gilliland, Chair of Healthy North Coast, presented the prestigious Primary Care Award to Dr Olivia Lotz,
Shaping Sepsis Care Survey 2 now open
Monash University is now one step closer to identifying Australia’s top 10 research questions for sepsis. All Survey 1 responses were grouped into summary questions, and any deemed outside the scope of this project have been saved for future purposes. After checking these questions against current research, only the unanswered questions have been included in
$1 million continues to boost community wellbeing and resilience on the North Coast
Healthy North Coast has announced RSL LifeCare as a successful recipient under the Community Wellbeing and Resilience (CWR) program, which commenced in 2024 and will run over the next 12 months. Delivery of RSL LifeCare’s Stronger Together intergenerational program has commenced in Port Macquarie, with additional Northern NSW locations to follow. The CWR program is
Celebrating Our 2025 Primary Health Care Excellence Awards Finalists
Update 24 November 2025: Event has sold out. There will be a live stream available on YouTube for those interested in watching along! We are thrilled to announce the finalists for the Healthy North Coast Primary Health Care Excellence Awards 2025, an event dedicated to recognising the outstanding achievements of individuals and teams who
Celebrating carers on the North Coast
Our region is home to more unpaid carers than anywhere else in New South Wales, and ranks 5th nationally for the highest number of unpaid carers per capita. This reflects a growing need for support with activities of daily living. In 2021, 75 out of every 1,000 North Coast residents required assistance, well above the
