MID North Coast hospitals have experienced record demand for their emergency departments, according to the latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) quarterly report.
Despite this, hospital performance between October and December remained high.
Across the health district, which covers Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour, there were a record 40,126 attendances, an increase of three percent or 1,166 more people, compared to the same quarter in 2024.
These are the highest numbers for the local health district since BHI reporting began in 2010.
MNCLHD Chief Executive Jill Wong praised staff for their ongoing dedication to delivering outstanding patient-centred care throughout the busy period.
“The report shows that demand for emergency and ambulance care continues to climb across our District, in line with statewide trends,” Ms Wong said.
“Our emergency departments have been under considerable pressure, and I want to recognise the commitment of our staff who continue to support patients when they need it most.
“These results help us understand our strengths and identify opportunities to improve, ensuring the people of the Mid North Coast can continue to access the best care possible.”
Port Macquarie Base Hospital
PMBH had 13,981 ED attendances, a slight increase of 0.6 percent (or 78 attendances) compared to the same quarter in 2024.
Nearly all patients (95.8 percent) transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark and a majority of patients (81.8 percent) were discharged within four hours, which is 21.4 percent better than its peer group average.
The hospital performed 929 planned surgeries in the quarter, an improvement of 25.9 percent or 191 surgeries, compared to the same period last year.
All urgent planned surgery was performed on time.
Wauchope District Memorial Hospital
Wauchope Hospital was reclassified when NSW Health reviewed peer groups in 2025.
This is the first time it has been reported individually in BHI’s quarterly updates.
From October to December 2025, the hospital performed 259 planned surgeries with 92.4 percent performed on time.
All urgent planned surgery was performed on time.
MNCLHD encourages patients at all hospitals, who feel their condition has deteriorated while waiting for their procedure, to contact their treating doctor for a clinical review so they can be placed in a higher urgency category if required.
What to expect in ED
All patients are seen and triaged on arrival at the ED and the most serious cases are treated first.
During busy times, people with less urgent conditions will experience longer wait times when there are large numbers of seriously unwell patients being prioritised for emergency care.
“We appreciate the community’s patience during this particularly busy period,” Ms Wong said.
“Statewide Virtual Urgent Care Services for adults and children are also available to the Mid North Coast community. These services have also played an important role in easing pressure on our hospital EDs.
“They operate seven days a week from 8am to 10pm and can be accessed by calling Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.”
MNCLHD continues to remind the community to keep EDs and ambulances for saving lives.
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