Murrumbidgee Local Health District

Murrumbidgee LHD (formerly know as Greater Southern Area Health Service, GSAHS) is a large rural Health Service in New South Wales that was formed on January 1, 2005 from the amalgamation of two previous areas: Greater Murray and Southern Area Health Services.

For planning purposes the Area is divided into three sectors: Western, Central and Eastern.

MLHD extends from the New South Wales South Coast across the Great Dividing Range and the Snowy Mountains through the south-west slopes, Riverina and Murrumbidgee regions and Victorian border areas. It covers an area of approximately 166,000 square kilometres. There are six main areas of population density at Albury, Deniliquin, Goulburn, Griffith, Queanbeyan and Wagga Wagga and the Area has many smaller rural towns.

MLHD surrounds the Australian Capital Territory where the capital city of Australia, Canberra is situated. The Southern border of the Area follows the NSW/Victorian border with the Great Dividing Range creating a natural barrier separating the coastal regions from the inland tablelands and western plains.

Industry within MLHD geographical area is primarily focused around agriculture. There is however, a variety of business and industrial enterprises outside of agriculture including; government departments, the Defence Forces, tertiary institutions, forestry and tourism. MLHD contributes significantly to communities as one of the major employers in the region, employing over 5,000 (Full Time Equivalent) staff in a range of clinical and non-clinical roles.

Murrumbidgee LHD is funded by the New South Wales (NSW) Government to provide health services to the people of Southern NSW in Australia.

The centre of our work is the patient with their family and carers, and our communities. Our aim is to provide the right care in the right place: close to where patients live, but consistent with the level of care they need. MLHD provides a full range of clinical care from primary and community services through to emergency and critical care, hospital treatment, Aboriginal health services and aged and rehabilitation care. Included in this is surgical, medical, obstetric, mental health and paediatric care provided by general practitioners, specialist doctors, nurses and allied health providers.

MLHD works in collaboration with a number of health partners including Universities, TAFE colleges, Divisions of General Practices, Aboriginal Medical Services, consumers support groups and fellowships.

We work with our communities to promote and improve the health of the people of southern NSW through programs including health prevention and protection, public health and through careful and thorough planning of our services.

We are the premier provider of health services in our region. To maintain the confidence of our patients and communities we must always keep them as our focus and work with the highest levels of personal and professional integrity.

MLHD has a population of approximately 468,000 people. The population is expected to grow to approximately 476,000 by 2011.