North Coast Health Connect launches in Port Macquarie
Residents living in Port Macquarie area postcodes will be the first to benefit from a free new service that aims to improve access to local healthcare. North Coast Health Connect, launched on 8 December, offers a free 1800 phone number or live web chat for residents to speak with a registered nurse any time of
Thank you for your support in 2022
As we approach the end of another challenging year for the North Coast region, I wish all primary health professionals a safe and peaceful holiday season. This year, more than any other in recent times, has demonstrated the critical role of primary care in meeting the community’s health needs. In Northern NSW, the floods tested
Office hours for the holiday season
From all of us at from Healthy North Coast, we wish you a safe and peaceful holiday season. Our offices will be closed from 5pm on Friday 23 December 2022 and will reopen at 9am on Monday 9 January 2023. For any enquiries, you can still reach us by email on contact@hnc.org.au, which will be monitored throughout
Survey will help improve access to skin cancer care
Healthy North Coast is seeking feedback from GPs via a short survey to better understand their needs around improving local communities’ access to skin cancer care. The survey, which takes about five minutes to complete, is open until Friday 13 January 2023. It explores what existing services are used, what barriers to patient care are
Supporting people living with dementia on the North Coast
Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia and the leading cause of death in women. The North Coast region has one of the highest rates of dementia in the country. People living with dementia and their families have told us how important it is to find the supports and services that can
Expressions of interest: GP clinical adviser – Population Health
Looking for alternative income to offset your clinical hours? Get paid for thinking and become a GP clinical adviser with Healthy North Coast. Healthy North Coast invites expressions of interest from GPs with a strong knowledge and passion for population health to become a part-time clinical adviser. The provision of GP clinical advice and support on
Healthy North Coast Disaster Management Framework
Healthy North Coast has developed a Disaster Management Framework to guide our preparation, response and recovery activities in the event of a natural disaster or emergency. Following the 2022 floods in Northern NSW, we conducted an extensive learning and reflection process, compiling experiences and feedback from our primary health practitioners, Local Health District staff and community
Helping to make our communities dementia-inclusive
Dr Sabrina Pit, Dr Louise Horstmanshof and Dr Robert G Lingard write about people living in the community with dementia, and their carers, in a recent article that suggests how to help during floods and other emergencies. They are active members of Dementia Inclusive Ballina, which was officially founded in 2021 as a not-for profit
New pathway addresses social determinants of health
Local health carers now have access to a wide-ranging new Social and Community Support pathway, which has been in development for the past two years. HealthPathways Clinical Editor Dr Sarah Mollard said the pathway brought together information about social and community supports that GPs could use to help their patients when they required a holistic
HealthPathways team on top of reviews, updates
It’s been a big year for the Mid and North Coast HealthPathways team, which completed 143 pathway reviews to the end of November and has another 74 in progress. This puts Mid and North Coast HealthPathways at the forefront of New South Wales’ 13 primary health networks for pathways reviewed in 2022. The Mid and
Hilton Koppe launches ‘One Curious Doctor’ memoir
What might cause a 60-year-old Far North Coast GP with a well-balanced life to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, turning his world upside down? Lennox Head-based author, teacher and doctor, Hilton Koppe, set out to discover the answer, compiling a selection of life stories from the heart that became One Curious Doctor. A Memoir of Medicine,
Swift action on COVID-19 upswing helps aged care residents
As the fourth wave of COVID-19 continues across Australia, the number of cases in residential aged care (RAC) homes increased during November. At the same time, early preventative action and preparation by way of immunisation and antiviral consent have significantly contributed to low mortality rates. Healthy North Coast thanks all GPs caring for residents in
