Mid North Coast Local Health District frontline workers praised amid challenging times

Mid North Coast Local Health District Governing Board chair Professor Heather Cavanagh, speaking at the board's annual public meeting, described the healthcare teams as the heart and soul of the organisation.

"I can quite honestly say I have been blown away by the commitment and dedication of our healthcare teams, not only with the ongoing response to the COVID pandemic, but probably more importantly, in the way they have continued to deliver core health services to our communities day in and day out," she said.

Professor Cavanagh said healthcare workers' skill, knowledge, expertise, compassion and care resonated in everything they did.

She said the local health district continued to work in close collaboration with partner organisations to improve the health outcomes for its communities.

Professor Cavanagh, who was appointed as governing chair just over five months ago, also acknowledged the previous governing board.

The governing board's annual public meeting at the Glasshouse in Port Macquarie on Wednesday, December 8 provided an overview of 2020-2021.

Director of nursing, midwifery and service reform Vicki Simpson spoke about the continued response to COVID-19.

She said the community came together, staff prepared for the worst and the local health district worked alongside its external partners.

Staff cared for COVID-positive patients while keeping all other patients safe, testing clinics were established and the vaccination program started.

Mrs Simpson said the COVID landscape just kept changing.

Vaccine hesitancy kicked in but the Delta outbreak resulted in more people coming forward to get the jab.

Almost 95 per cent of the eligible population across the Mid North Coast is double vaccinated.

Mrs Simpson said healthcare workers stood tall and they stepped up time and time again.

"I can't express in words how proud, how humbled and privileged I am to have worked alongside such a dedicated team," she said.

"We have the best, they are the best and we are in very good hands."

Mid North Coast Local Health District chief executive Stewart Dowrick said the local health district had continued to deliver high quality public health services to its communities throughout the past year under the most challenging of circumstances.

"In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, our hospitals and community health centres have continued to experience high demand for their services," he said.

Mr Dowrick acknowledged and thanked the healthcare teams across the district for always undertaking their duties in a professional and caring manner.

He said the local health district continued to achieve improved health outcomes for its communities.

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