North West Hospital and Health Service

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Mount Isa, QLD
North West Hospital and Health Service

Do not use this page to report an emergency or to seek medical advice. In an emergency call Triple Zero.

We provide a range of healthcare services to a number of communities in the region including: Burketown, Camooweal, Cloncurry, Dajarra, Doomadgee, Julia Creek, Karumba, Mornington Island, Mount Isa, Normanton. The main facility for the North West Hospital and Health Service is the Mount Isa Hospital which is situated at 30 Camooweal Street Mount Isa. From here we provide a vast range of clinical and non-clinical services to our region.

29/01/2026

🤠🎶 Saddle up Julia Creek & Mount Isa — the music is coming. 🎶🤠

NWHHS is excited to throw some community support behind this brilliant live music event that’s rolling through the North West.

Because let’s be real — a good night of live music does more than just fill the pub or the paddock.
It gets people out of the house, brings communities together, and gives us all a much-needed circuit breaker from the everyday grind. 🎸✨

🎤 Here’s when the bands are hitting town:
📍 Julia Creek: May 5th
📍 Mount Isa: May 9th

Whether you’re there for the tunes, the atmosphere, or just an excuse to catch up with mates — this one’s worth getting around.

🎟️ Earlybird Tickets + info: https://buff.ly/9FcC9YJ

We’ll be there backing the good vibes, the connection, and the kind of community events that make living out here special. 💛

Qld Music Trails QMF Arts Queensland Queensland Government Rex Airlines
McKinlay Shire Council Mount Isa City Council

28/01/2026

✨ Meet Our New Director of Medicine: Dr Shermila ✨

We’re excited to officially welcome Dr Shermila to North West Hospital and Health Service as our new Director of Medicine 👋

Originally from Sri Lanka, Dr Shermila joins us after working in regional Victoria, where she made a big impact — including establishing the first specialist diabetes care clinic in the Gippsland region. In 2021, she was recognised as Young Physician of the Year by the American College of Physicians for this work (yes, we’re impressed too). 👏

So why the North West? 🤠
Dr Shermila believes in giving where the need is greatest and sees rural and remote healthcare as a place where you can truly make a difference, grow as a leader, and help shape systems that change lives.

As she settles into the role, her priorities are clear:
✔️ Safe, high-quality clinical care
✔️ Strong clinical governance
✔️ Supporting and caring for our medical workforce
✔️ Bringing stability, sustainable rostering and a positive team culture to the Department of Medicine

What she loves most about rural and remote health?
The close-knit communities, the teamwork, and the sense that everyone looks out for each other like family.

Outside of work, Dr Shermila loves being in nature, particularly a good sunrise or sunset. She’s also eyeing off kayaking as a potential new hobby (watch this space 👀).
On long days, morale is fuelled by Ferrero Rocher chocolates — which we now consider essential infrastructure.
And something you might not expect: she’s also a qualified photographer, interior designer AND career coach.

Please join us in giving a big North West welcome to Dr Shermila — we’re so glad to have you on board 🧡

26/01/2026

🎒🪳 Back to school PSA: Head lice (aka hair freeloaders) 🎒

If your head just started itching — we’re sorry in advance.

Head lice are tiny, wingless insects that live in human hair.
They crawl from head to head, bite the scalp, and set up shop without paying rent.

Anyone can get head lice.
They’re especially common in school-aged children (and their households).
It’s not about hygiene — it’s about proximity.

🔍 Signs you’ve got unwanted guests:
👉 Itchy scalp, neck or ears
👉 White dots stuck to hair (nits — clingier than glitter)
👉 A tickling sensation of movement (deeply unsettling)

🧴 How to evict them:
• Pharmacy lice treatments
• Conditioner + fine-tooth comb
• Only treat people who actually have lice

🔎 Regular head checks and tying long hair back helps reduce spread.

If the freeloaders refuse to leave, your healthcare provider can help.

Back to school.
Back to bugs.
Back to checking heads like it’s a second job. 🫠

ℹ️ Sources: QH; Health Direct; Better Health Channel

21/01/2026

🌟 Deadly Start Spotlight: Meet Shia 🌟

If confidence, curiosity and “yes please” energy were a person, it’d be Shia.

Shia is one of our Deadly Start school-based trainees, and her journey into health started the same way many great ones do: saying yes to an opportunity and seeing where it led.

Back in Year 10, Shia took part in the 'Ground Up' work experience placement after a teacher encouraged her to give it a go. At the time, she was still figuring out what life after school might look like — but it didn’t take long for things to click. When the opportunity to apply for a school-based traineeship in health came up, her response was simple: yes, please.

Balancing school and work has been a key part of Shia’s traineeship. By adjusting her subject load, she works one day a week during the school term and picks up extra days during the holidays; gaining real, hands-on experience while still staying on top of her studies.

Like most people starting something new, Shia admits the application process (and interview!) was nerve-wracking. 😰But from day one, she was welcomed by staff and quickly felt at ease. “It was a pretty cruisy first day,” she says, a theme that reflects the strong support she’s received ever since.

One of the highlights of Shia’s traineeship is the rotational experience across allied health disciplines. Each month, she works alongside a different team, learning how they support patients and seeing firsthand what each role involves. From sitting in on sessions to helping with simple admin tasks, Shia has built her skills step by step.

The biggest change she’s noticed? Confidence. 📈

Her communication skills have grown enormously, and she now feels comfortable talking with patients and staff alike; a big leap from where she started. That confidence has also helped her refine her future goals. While Shia originally had her heart set on speech pathology, her traineeship introduced her to physiotherapy, and she’s now seriously considering it as a future career path. 💪

Shia says the support from staff and mentors has made all the difference. “I feel like I can ask questions pretty freely,” she explains. “They don’t make you feel silly — they kind of hold your hand at the start, then build you up.” 🤝

For students thinking about applying for Deadly Start, her advice is simple:
Do it.
Even if you’re not 100% sure what you want to do, the experience helps you figure out what path feels right.

And if she had to sum up her experience in just one word?
👏 Exciting. 👏
Because no two days are the same — and that’s exactly how Shia likes it. 🧡

20/01/2026

🌿 Camooweal Outreach Visit 🌿

The Healthy Skin team and Orange Sky are visiting Camooweal on Wednesday 21 & 28 January at the Community Hall.

Drop in for skin health checks, free laundry services, and a friendly chat.
Come along for health support and community connection 💛

19/01/2026

🍇 🍑 This is for anyone who is NOT sittin’ pretty in the saddle 🍑🍇

If you’re meant to be sittin’ tall and ridin’ easy —
but instead you’re shifting, standing, leaning, pacing, and questioning every chair in a 50-km radius…
we need to talk about the bumps in the valley... aka the devils grapes... aka haemorrhoids.

Haemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels in or around the "back door".
They’re common. They’re painful. And they have impeccable timing, usually showing up right when you’ve got places to be and things to sit on.

They love a few things in particular:
💩 Constipation
🪑 Sitting too long
🤰 Pregnancy
🏋️ Heavy lifting
📱 Doom-scrolling on the loo (you know who you are)

The fix can be quite simple:
It’s water. Fibre. Letting things move naturally. Not forcing it like it’s a strength contest. Not camping on the toilet. And using pharmacy treatments when needed: creams, suppositories, the whole dignified-but-effective kit.

And if things aren’t settling, the pain’s intense, or the bleeding keeps happening, that’s your cue to see a doctor!

Because haemorrhoids are common.
Pretending they don’t exist is optional.

So if you’re not sittin’ pretty in the saddle, don’t just grit your teeth and ride it out.
Look after your backside like the vital piece of equipment it is.

🍑🐎 Respect the saddle.

16/01/2026

For the first time, Women Deliver is coming to Australia and the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute is proudly supporting First Nations women, girls, Sistergirls and gender-diverse peoples to attend with a limited number of sponsored positions.

April 27–30, 2026 in Narrm (Melbourne), on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Peoples. Over 6,500 people from around the world gathering to shape what happens next for gender justice.

This is a pivotal moment for First Nations women, girls, Sistergirls and gender-diverse peoples to share our knowledges, connect with global networks, and shape critical conversations on gender justice at an international level.

What's included: Conference registration, return flights, accommodation, meals, airport transfers, pre-conference gatherings on 26 April (details TBC).

You don't need to work in the "gender sector"—if you're caring for Country, supporting community, keeping culture alive, finding your way after a tough time, study or learning from Elders, your knowledge matters here.

Applications close: 1 February 2026, 11:59pm AEDT

Apply: https://buff.ly/fkG0gN0

Questions about sponsored positions? wyut@anu.edu.au

15/01/2026

🚑👩⚕️👨⚕️ Ready to roll, Medical Interns of 2026! 👨⚕️👩⚕️🚑

After completing a full week of orientation, our six new medical interns are officially ready to get stuck in at North West HHS 🙌

They’ve navigated a big first week, a wet-season welcome, and everything that comes with starting work in a rural and remote health service — and now they’re heading into clinical rotations across the North West.

From Monday, they’ll be gaining hands-on experience, working alongside our incredible clinical teams, and building skills you simply don’t get in metro hospitals.

Welcome to the team — we’re excited to have you on board 🧡

14/01/2026

⏰ Reminder for Mount Isa families! ⏰

The Let’s Get Enrolled Expo 2026 is happening tomorrow, and it’s a great chance to get organised for the school year — all in one place.

🎒 Let’s Get Enrolled Expo 2026
🗓 Thursday 15 January 2026
🕙 10:00am – 12:00pm
📍 Buchanan Park Exhibition Centre

With 33 schools, early learning services, health providers and family support services attending, families can:
• Enrol children in school or early learning
• Connect with health and wellbeing services
• Enjoy kids’ activities, giveaways and free haircuts for children ✂️
• Head into the school year feeling confident and prepared

It’s free, family-friendly and open to everyone — pop it in your calendar and bring the kids along!

👉 Check out the flyer below for the full list of services attending.

12/01/2026

🥵 QUICK QUESTION, NORTH WEST: 🥵

Is it
A) Hot
B) Still bloody hot
C) “It rained so it shouldn’t be hot but somehow it is”
D) All of the above

Be honest — how many of you have already said:
“It’s not that hot”
“I’ll just finish this first”
“I’ve worked in worse”

…and how many of you are currently:
- Sweating through your third shirt
- Drinking water like it owes you money
- Standing still, questioning your life choices

Reminder (before someone ends up lying on the floor):
💧 Drink water
🧢 Wear the hat
🌳 Use the shade
🐕 Check on your pets

Drop your best heat survival tips below 👇
(And yes, “toughen up” has already been said.)
🔥🌡️

09/01/2026

🎒✨ Let’s Get Enrolled Expo 2026 – for Mount Isa families! ✨🎒

Getting ready for the school year? Come along to the Let’s Get Enrolled Expo 2026 — a free, fun and family-friendly event designed to help families feel confident and prepared for the year ahead.

Thanks to amazing local collaboration, 33 schools, early learning services, health providers, training organisations and family support services will all be in one place on the day.

📍 Where: Buchanan Park Exhibition Centre
🗓 When: Thursday 15 January 2026
🕙 Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

👨👩👧👦 On the day you can:
• Enrol children in school or early learning
• Chat with health, wellbeing and family support services
• Enjoy kids’ activities, giveaways and free haircuts for children ✂️
• Start the school year feeling organised, supported and good to go

It’s a relaxed, welcoming space for families — whether you’re enrolling for the first time or just looking for extra support.

👉 Check out the flyer below to see all the services attending, and please feel free to share this with friends, family and anyone who might find it helpful.

We can’t wait to see you there and kick off another great year for Mount Isa families 💙

07/01/2026

CASE FILE:
🚓 Melioidosis – street name ‘Melio’ 🚓

Address

30 Camooweal Street
Mount Isa, QLD
4825

Telephone

+61747444444

Website

http://www.northwest.health.qld.gov.au/

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