News

New Health Services Project Focuses On Health Care Access

5 May 2025

Murwillumbah is one of five locations in NSW chosen for an exciting new initiative that aims to reshape the way health services are delivered.

Collaborative Care is a community-centred healthcare planning program facilitated by Rural Doctors Network (RDN) and supported by the NSW Ministry of Health.

The goal is to ensure residents in Murwillumbah and surrounding towns have better access to the care they need, and that healthcare providers have sustainable services.

The Collaborative Care project will identify the unique healthcare needs of the Murwillumbah community and the best way to address them with the resources we have.

The project group includes representatives from Tweed Shire Council, Northern NSW Local Health District, NSW Ambulance, Healthy North Coast, Murwillumbah Community Centre, and Murwillumbah District Hospital Community Advisory Group.

The group will examine how local health services can work together to support integrated healthcare in the community. This includes hospital-based services, general practice, community health, allied health, pharmacy, Aboriginal health, and patient transport services.

This collaborative approach is needed because a lot of different organisations support healthcare in Murwillumbah.

Over the next 6 months, the group will ask local health professionals and community members what Murwillumbah needs to be healthy and stay healthy. Local representatives will then identify healthcare priorities based on this evidence.

The recommendations made through the project will be used to design services and pathways that are sustainable and meet community needs both now and in the future.

The community consultation process will be launched in the next few months to give residents the chance to have their say on the healthcare services that matter to them.