The Mid North Coast Local Health District reported on 11 March 2026 that its emergency departments saw a record number of patients in the final months of last year. In Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, the local hospital was part of a region-wide spike that saw 40,126 people seeking urgent medical care between October and December 2025.
The Coffs Harbour Health Campus handled 13,014 emergency visits during this three-month period. This was a 3.7 per cent increase compared to the same time in 2024 and represents the highest volume of patients for the district since recording began in 2010.
To help manage the extra pressure, the health district recruited more than 38 new full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses to support safe staffing levels at the Coffs Harbour Health Campus and Port Macquarie Base Hospital. Despite the record numbers, 76.8 per cent of patients were discharged within four hours, which is higher than the state average of 64.6 per cent.
Jill Wong, the Chief Executive of the health district, said the results highlight that demand for emergency care “continues to climb across our District.” She also noted that virtual services have “played an important role in easing pressure on our hospital EDs.”
Health officials continue to urge the public to use the Virtual Urgent Care platform for health issues that are not life-threatening. This service, which was included in the latest report for Mid North Coast public hospitals, is designed to help keep hospital staff and beds free for those in the most serious need.
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