Planned surgery and outpatient care services will remain temporarily suspended in Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) as Tropical Cyclone Alfred bears down on the region.

These temporary service changes, which began on Thursday 6 March, will continue through until close of business on Monday 10 March when we will have a better understanding of the recovery in front of us. Those affected by these temporary changes will be notified.

Services affected include:

Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) will reschedule planned surgery and temporarily suspend outpatient services over the next two days as the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred begins to take effect across the region.

Temporary changes to medical services are being made to allow NNSWLHD to prioritise the emergency medical response and provide the best possible care for patients, while ensuring the safety and welfare of staff.

March is Vegie Month, and Northern NSW Local Health (NNSWLHD) is encouraging parents and early childhood education and care services (ECECs) to take on weekly vegie challenges.

Vegie Month helps to increase children’s vegetable intake through exposure to vegetables in a fun way.

NNSWLHD Director of Aboriginal Health, Oral Health and Health Promotion, Kirsty Glanville encourages everyone to rise to the vegie challenge this month.

Northern NSW Local Health District is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a confirmed case who was infectious while visiting several locations in Lismore, Casino and Kyogle.

The new case is linked to a previously notified case in the area.

While the locations no longer pose a risk, people who attended the following locations, during the specific times listed, should watch for the development of symptoms:

Northern NSW Local Health District is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a second person with measles who was infectious while visiting Lismore Square Shopping Centre last week.

The new case is a family member of a person who had recently returned from overseas and was confirmed on 9 February 2025 to have measles.

Northern NSW Local Health District Director of Population and Public Health, Dr Valerie Delpech, said the locations pose no ongoing risk to the public. 

Grafton, Lismore and Tweed are set to benefit from new Key Worker Accommodation which will help attract, recruit and retain more healthcare workers. The Minns Labor Government will invest $34.2 million in health worker housing in Northern NSW as part of the Key Health Worker Accommodation program.

Patients, visitors and staff at Tweed Valley Hospital are set to benefit from an additional 130 free car parking spaces, along with upgrades to existing parking areas, boosting capacity to more than 1,300 spaces across the hospital campus. The $723.3 million Tweed Valley Hospital opened to patients in May 2024 and has transformed the delivery of healthcare in the region.

39 medical interns have joined the Northern New South Wales Local Health District, taking up positions in our local public hospitals. These new graduates starting their internships will be entering a training program with networked hospital throughout the LHD, with both formal and on-the-job training.

An innovative new prostate cancer treatment is now available at the North Coast Cancer Institute in Lismore, offering significant reductions in treatment times for eligible patients.

The stereotactic radiotherapy treatment delivers a higher dose of radiation to the target area over five treatment sessions, compared to the previous standard course which delivered a smaller dose across 20 sessions.

Local and international clinical trials have shown the shorter course was as effective, while significantly reducing the time commitment for patients.

Northern NSW Local Health District is encouraging the local community to kick off 2025 by becoming a Healthcare Helper volunteer. Applications are now open for volunteer roles supporting patients, visitors and healthcare staff in facilities at Lismore, Nimbin, Bonalbo, Urbenville and Kyogle.