NNSWLHD Executive Director Medical Services and Clinical Governance Dr Marco Giuseppin said the renewed Memorandum of Understanding reinforced the strong and enduring partnership between the District and the University of Sydney.

“Training in a real-world, modern healthcare setting is invaluable for students as they prepare for their professional careers,” Dr Giuseppin said.

“Through our ongoing partnership with the University of Sydney and University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH) partners, we can continue to support high-quality clinical education, attract talented future clinicians to the region and build a sustainable workforce for years to come.”

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott AO said: “Few partnerships are more important to our work in the region than our relationship with Northern NSW Local Health District.”

“The MOU reflects the scale and maturity of that collaboration and provides an ongoing framework for its continued growth.”

The agreement will continue to support the creation of a common governance framework; improved visibility of shared activities; coordinated workforce planning and will help strengthen collaboration across student education, simulation, research and workforce initiatives.

The agreement further continues to acknowledge UCRH’s role in coordinating collaborative arrangements involving partner universities through the North Coast Medical Education Collaboration, helping to support a shared approach to health workforce development across the region. The North Coast Medical Education Collaboration (NCMEC) is a partnership between the University of Wollongong, Western Sydney University and the University of Sydney. 

Medical students will undertake placements across Lismore Base Hospital, Ballina District Hospital, Casino and District Memorial Hospital, Grafton Base Hospital, Aboriginal medical services, mental health services and general practice networks.

Fifteen UCRH medical students currently on placement at Lismore Base Hospital have also indicated an interest in remaining at the hospital to pursue their internship in Northern NSW.

Professor Vicki Flood, Head of Rural Clinical School, Northern Rivers and Director of the University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH) said: “This demonstrates that what we set out to achieve as two institutions is working: training students in a rural setting and creating a pipeline into the local rural workforce.”

The longstanding agreement also reflects substantial placement hours across nursing and midwifery, allied health and dentistry at sites across the region.

Research is another area of significant collaboration, including Doctor of Medicine (MD) research projects and broader ongoing research projects, including topics like natural disaster management and preparedness. 

In 2025, UCRH supported 21 Doctor of Medicine student research projects involving University of Sydney and Western Sydney University medical students. 

The projects addressed local and regional priorities, such as the health impacts of extreme weather events, while others informed local clinical services through audits and quality assurance activities. These included an evaluation of an eating disorder clinic and its association with emergency department presentations.

Current research projects involving collaboration with NNSWLHD include the HeLP-R clinical trial, which is testing whether virtual, multidisciplinary pain care can be as effective as in-person care for people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain, while also examining how these models can work in real hospital settings. The trial is currently running through physiotherapy departments at Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and Grafton hospitals, involving clinicians and patients.