Dr Alison Mitchell and Dr Karly Field are sharing one full time position at Macksville District Hospital, with both working half the time at Coffs Harbour.

The pair are taking on the Emergency Medicine Specialist role at Macksville, which includes direct clinical work, and the provision of support and mentoring to other Emergency Department staff.

Both grew up locally, with Dr Field a Nambucca Heads local and Dr Mitchell hailing from Coffs Harbour.

Meanwhile, from Condobolin originally, Dr Junise Cox, recently completed her supervised internship post-graduation, so is enjoying having more independence as senior medical officer, a position she has occupied since February.

Dr Mitchell and Dr Field say their commitment in terms of supporting junior doctors and clinical care of patients is the same.

“We want to make sure Macksville Emergency Department is constantly providing high quality evidence-based medicine,” Dr Mitchell said.

“We also want it to be a centre for education and training.

“But we want to retain the local, family-friendly feel of the department.

“I grew up here, I left to go to uni, but always planned to come back and get a specialist job.”

Dr Cox shares her colleagues’ goals, and is hoping to add extra ongoing continuity of care as she implements treatment plans created by visiting medical officers, who are local GPs who complete morning rounds at the hospital before returning to their practices. 

“It’s great to have Carly and Allison, who are both specialists because they can provide education, upskill people and generally help us out,” Dr Cox said.

“I live in Macksville, my husband works in Nambucca and I’m committed to the area.”

The hospital’s deputy director of nursing, Mark Tyler, extended a warm welcome to all three doctors.

“The fact that they are home-grown and did some of their training at Macksville means they’re comfortable with us and we’re comfortable with them,” Mr Tyler said.

“The opportunity to have two senior emergency doctors on site at Macksville just increases the level of care that we can deliver to the Nambucca Valley community.

“Having Junise on the ward also adds to the consistency of care that we can provide to inpatients.

“It allows staff to develop a relationship with her that increases the quality of the care that we can provide to patients.”