Hunter hospitals hoping to bounce back after busy winter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter New England Health District is hoping for a quieter summer, after another busy winter at the region's hospitals.

According to the latest Bureau of Health Information data, more than 109,000 people visited the Hunter's emergency departments in the three months to September, though more than half were not in need of life-threatening or critical care.

It's understood, COVID-19 and other winter illnesses are continuing to put pressure on health staff.

65.5 percent of patients started their treatments on time, while 78.3 percent were transferred out of ambulances within the half-an-hour benchmark, compared to a state average of 74.8 percent.

6,497 elective surgeries were performed across the region, with 99.6 completed on time.

Hunter diabetes care clinic-on-wheels boosted by $12 million investment

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A Hunter diabetes care project has been given a $12.4 million grant to help fund further research and the creation of a new medibus, to bring much-needed services to rural and regional areas.

The Diabetes Alliance Program - a partnership between the Hunter Medical Research Institute, Hunter New England Health Health District, and the University of Newcastle - is set to be scaled up thanks to the Colonial Foundation grant. 

One in ten people in the Hunter New England region have diabetes, but over half of them are yet to be diagnosed with the condition.

It's hoped, developing a new clinic on wheels will help extend specialist treatment to communities which often struggle with healthcare access. 

The bus will bring multidisciplinary teams, including nurses, dietitians, Aboriginal health workers, and endocrinologists, both to deliver treatment and to train local providers.

80 people in Hunter hospitals as daily COVID updates draw to a close

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter New England Health District is caring for 80 COVID cases in hospital, with five people in intensive care.  

No one has passed away in the latest reporting period.  

It's not clear how many of the State's 9,849 cases are in the Hunter.

NSW Health says it will no longer provide an in-depth daily update on the figures.  

The Department will provide a statewide tally, however, though cases and deaths will not be broken down by health district. 

Lake Macquarie woman the latest to pass away with COVID-19

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter New England has recorded 2,069 new COVID cases today.  

It's leading the health districts in new cases for another day running.  

Sadly, a woman in her 70s from Lake Macquarie has passed away with the virus.  

The Health District is caring for 84 people in hospital, with three cases in intensive care.