Bruce de Graaf making his 700th donation. Bruce de Graaf and Port Macquarie MP Rob Dwyer. DUNBOGAN’S Bruce de Graaf celebrated his 700th donation at Lifeblood Port Macquarie on Friday, 20 February. He now holds the record for the most blood/plasma donations in the Port Macquarie region and is one of the top ten donors […]
Wauchope Palliative Care Nursing Unit Manager Mary Trotter with a hydraulic assist layback commode shower chair purchased with a grant from Hastings Cancer Trust.
Cancer Trust seeking support for gala event
THE Port Macquarie-Hastings community is being urged to support the work of the Hastings Cancer Trust (HCT) in 2026. Cancer Council Australia estimates that in 2024 169,500 people were diagnosed with cancer, 52,700 died of cancer and that one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, making it a […]
Advanced survey technology begins on $265 million Port Macquarie Base Hospital upgrade
SPECIALIST survey works are now underway inside Port Macquarie Base Hospital and around its grounds, as the early planning stage of its $265m upgrade gets underway. These works involve the use of advanced, body-worn scanning camera technology to capture highly accurate measurements of existing hospital buildings, both internally and externally. A Health Infrastructure spokesperson said […]
Medical student Aimee Long is one of the 7,900 students who have benefitted from the program since 2024. Photo: NSW Health.
NSW Health offering subsidies to future health workers
UP TO $12,000 in financial support is on offer for students enrolled in medical, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, Aboriginal health and allied health degrees across NSW. The new round of applications for the Tertiary Health Study Subsidies Program opened on 28 January. This year, support will be available for up to 4,000 students across the state. […]
Extreme weather increasing health risks in rural and remote Australia
THE Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) says extreme weather across Australia is increasing health risks for rural, remote and First Nations communities and placing growing pressure on local health services. ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says prolonged and severe weather events are affecting the health of rural communities and will continue to […]
Staff praised as Mid North Coast hospitals deliver strong results in quarterly report
PUBLIC hospitals across the Mid North Coast are providing high-quality care despite high demand in emergency departments, according to the latest Bureau of Health Information statistics. The quarterly report is based on the period between July – September 2025. Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) Chief Executive Jill Wong praised staff for their commitment […]
‘Amazing’ Pink Ladies launch Christmas fundraiser
IF you’ve ever spent time in Port Macquarie Base Hospital, it is likely that you have interacted with one of the “Pink Ladies”. This dedicated group of approximately 70 women and 30 men can be found in almost every ward of the hospital and refer to themselves as ‘gophers’. With one volunteer scheduled on most […]
Members of HHH, Ruth Durant, Mayor Adam Roberts, President Dr Caterine Settle, Susanne Pritchard and Dan Abei. Photo: supplied.
Hastings Home Hospice honours volunteers’ decades of compassion
Members of HHH, Ruth Durant, Mayor Adam Roberts, President Dr Caterine Settle, Susanne Pritchard and Dan Abei. Photo: supplied. HHH Secretary, Jenny Delroy thanks members and volunteers. Photo: supplied. CURRENT and past members of Hastings Home Hospice (HHH) gathered for a special afternoon tea on Thursday 30 October at the Lions Club in Port Macquarie. […]
Leo Clayton from the Mental Health Commission, MNCLHD’s Sarah Fox, Suicide Prevention and Aftercare Coordinator Sage Green, MNCLHD Chief Executive Jill Wong, member of the Lived Experience of Suicide Group (LEOS) Lea Harvey, Kelly Saidey from Lifeline Mid Coast, Senior Peer Worker Karen Miller, Vanessa Brunker from the Mental Health Commission and Consumer Partnership Coordinator Nicholas Kosseris.
Port Macquarie Safe Haven offers essential mental health support to those in need
MID NORTH COAST Local Health District (MNCLHD) has officially opened a purpose-built Safe Haven building in Port Macquarie, providing a safe space and immediate support for people who are experiencing mental health distress. Safe Havens are non-clinical settings that offer support in a calm and welcoming environment as an alternative to attending a hospital emergency […]
Free men’s health checks at LUSC
THE Men’s Health Education Rural Health Van (MHERV) will visit Laurieton United Services Club (LUSC) next week. An initiative of Rotary, MHERV is a mobile home-style vehicle which travels throughout rural and regional NSW, providing free health checks for men for issues that are often ignored or overlooked, like high blood pressure, high blood sugar […]
