Ballina Information Blog

Member for Page Janelle Saffin has announced that Ballina District Community Services Association is to receive $700,000 in Federal funding to build the skills of health professionals and carers in aged care. Ms Saffin said the Minister for Ageing, Mark Butler, announced funding for 26 projects nationally, and the BDCSA secured funding for two of […]

The Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health, Melinda Pavey, MLC has praised the contributions of thousands of volunteers who donate their time in NSW public hospitals and community health services. Mrs Pavey attended the United Hospital Auxiliaries (UHA) 78th Annual Conference today at the Ballina RSL Club to congratulate the volunteers for their considerable contribution. “The […]

Can taking part in stand-up comedy performances have therapeutic effects on people with dementia? An innovative Southern Cross University research project is investigating the link, in partnership with an aged care provider and a comedian. Associate Professor John Stevens from the University’s School of Health and Human Services, Baptist Community Services NSW & ACT (BCS) […]

Ballina MP Don Page MP today welcomed a decision by the North Coast Area Health Service to put the mobile breast screening van back into Ballina and Byron Bay. “I am very pleased that after lobbying for so long to once again have a mobile breast screening van to enable women in Ballina and Byron […]

Minister for Rural and Regional Health Warren Snowdon this week joined Member for Page Janelle Saffin at Ballina Hospital to announce the establishment of a 12-bed rehabilitation and aged care service. The announcements were part of a two-day visit to the region, which included a tour and health reform forum at the Ballina District Hospital, […]

North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) will be running a series of free Pandemic H1N1 (Swine Flu) Influenza Vaccination Clinics at Ballina Hospital during April and May. Everyone is encouraged to protect themselves and their families by being vaccinated against pandemic influenza. Globally there have been almost 16,000 deaths associated with pandemic influenza, with 191 […]

Ballina Shire residents have been urged to take advantage of the Federal Government’s extension of the eligibility for free seasonal flu vaccine to cover those most at risk of complications from the flu.  The flu vaccine remains free for those aged 65 years. It has been extended to cover Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders aged […]

Page MP Janelle Saffin has announced $722,000 for the University of Sydney Dental School to construct a dental teaching clinic in Ballina. Ms Saffin said the funding will allow the University to expand its rural placements in Ballina. “Dental services in our region have been under-resourced for years, and I lobbied strongly for this joint […]

Ballina girl Sarah Moore was one of 110 Youth Ambassadors for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in Canberra this week, lobbying for funding for type 1 diabetes research. Page MP Janelle Saffin met Sarah and her mother, Denise, in her Parliamentary office on Thursday morning and then joined them at the Kids in the […]

Two Far North Coast politicians are pushing for the return of mobile breast screening to local area. Greens MP Ian Cohen will ask Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt about improving access for all Northern Rivers women to the new breast screen machines that are at Tweed Heads and Lismore, while Member for Ballina Don Page (pictured) […]