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EMERGENCY

In an emergency, always call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. Ambulances are the safest way to be assessed, treated and transported to the right hospital for the care you need.

Triple zero (000) is a free call from any phone, mobile or phone box.

For less severe but still urgent situations, go to an Emergency Department.

There are 12 public hospital Emergency Departments in Northern NSW Local Health District and they are all available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Emergency departments are located at:

Local hospitals welcome new volunteers
Published: 14 Feb 2023

Health facilities in Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) at Lismore, Grafton and Maclean are reopening their doors to volunteers, offering a variety of new roles that support health staff and improve the experience of patients and visitors.

NNSWLHD Chief Executive, Wayne Jones said 12 months of planning had gone into considering how the health service could maximise volunteering across the District.

“We are delighted to introduce Healthcare Helpers, a volunteer program offering individuals the opportunity to volunteer at their local health facility in a supported and meaningful way,” Mr Jones said.

“Healthcare Helpers can assist with a variety of tasks, such as lending their creative skills to craft projects with older patients, helping out with gardening the hospital grounds, or just being a companion for patients – fetching a cup of tea or warm blanket when it’s needed. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference.”

Clarence Health Service General Manager, Dan Madden said his team in Grafton and Maclean are looking forward to working with volunteers again.

“COVID-19 restrictions meant volunteers have been missed from our inpatient services for a couple of years now. The Healthcare Helpers program creates an opportunity for us to recommence this very important part of the patient experience,” Mr Madden said.

Both Grafton Base Hospital and Maclean District Hospital are seeking volunteers to provide comfort and social support for patients during their hospital stay. Grafton is also recruiting an additional role to help greet and guide patients and visitors around the hospital.

Lismore Base Hospital General Manager, Ian Hatton said the hospital was seeking volunteers to greet and guide patients and visitors throughout the facility, as well as roles to offer comfort and companionship to patients during their hospital stay. The health service will also recruit female volunteers to help support women accessing the BreastScreen Assessment Clinic.

Applications for Lismore, Maclean and Grafton based Healthcare Helper roles are open now, while a general expression of interest application is open for all other locations across the District, with more specific roles in other areas being announced shortly.

Local fundraising groups, Our Kids and the United Hospital Auxiliary (UHA) are also seeking new volunteers to help raise money for the health service.

NNSWLHD Volunteering and Fundraising Manager, Claire Quince, hopes the eagerness of staff to welcome volunteers is matched by community response to advertised roles.

“We are encouraging people from all walks of life to join us as Healthcare Helpers. We hope this new volunteer community will reflect the diversity found within broader communities and help ensure our staff are supported when responding to the needs of patients and their loved ones,” Ms Quince said.

More information on the Healthcare Helpers program can be found on the NNSWLHD website.