St Vincent's Lismore

02/04/2026

And the Winner is....
Easter Hat Day was in full colour today, with staff turning up bright and beautiful ahead of a special weekend. Even though it wasn't a competition, we couldn't go past Liz and the self-styled Easter Egg Hair Basket. Special thanks to Nicole Blanch who put in some serious hat-making hours to make sure no-one in our Executive team was left out. Have a wonderful Easter break everyone! 🐣🐣🐣

01/04/2026

Meet Robyn, a true sweetheart, but nobody's pushover. Robyn is on the ward recovering from her hip replacement and spared a few minutes to chat.
Couldn't speak highly enough of our Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Tim Matthews, and said he came highly recommended by her niece- a nurse, who says his patients seem to always have great recoveries.
Robyn is a Ballina local and has been at St Vincent's for different reasons over the decades and thinks the place is 'lovely since it's been renovated'. She has always had a wonderful experience and thinks the world of nurses everywhere. Having worked as Assistant in Nursing in Dementia Care, she urges young nurses to gain life experience so they are equipped to empathise with all types of people.
On top of that, Robyn also has a soft spot for the catering. 'the deserts are to die for. I don't eat desert normally, I try not to, but [in here] I've been having it for lunch and dinner!' Oops!
Over the years, Robyn has dealt with personal challenges and made some hard choices that have ultimately led to being free and in control. Very lucky to be living on the beachfront, walking every day, and full of vibrance as she moves into her early eighties. "I choose to be happy" she said.
On her stay here -
'All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you, it's really been lovely. They are so caring, so many of them (nurses). You feel as though they want the best for you'.
With the sun filtering in through her wardroom window she looked healthy and relaxed as she told me she'd just done her first lap around the corridor since the procedure and barely had any pain. Remarkable for 4 days post op.

All the best with the recovery Robyn, see you walking the beach in Ballina!

25/03/2026

Did you know that as a privately insured patient, you can request a transfer to St Vincent’s Lismore from another emergency department once your condition has been stabilised?
Discuss this option with your treating doctor/team, who can assess clinical suitability and next steps. Our team will collaborate with the referring hospital, review bed availability, fund cover, and coordinate your transfer where appropriate.
St Vincent’s Lismore is committed to helping you make informed decisions about where you receive treatment. Don’t wait days for surgery - it's your choice!

24/03/2026

Such a great day on Saturday at the Relay for Life! So many community members hitting the track to raise funds and awareness for Cancer Council Australia . Shout out to Garth from St Vincent's Oncology unit and all the Relay committee members for organising such a wonderful and well-attended event. Even bigger and better next year!

19/03/2026

Looking forward to the return of Lismore & Villages Relay For Life this Saturday at the Southern Cross University ovals in Lismore.
If you'd like to help support our fundraising for the Cancer Council please check out our 'Vinnie's Vipers' page:
https://www.relayforlife.org.au/fundraisers/vinniesvipers where you can sponsor the team or donate. See you on the track!

17/03/2026

Did you know...ENDO AID technology is a world-class computer-aided detection system, and it's been used in our Endoscopy Unit for the past 2 years? It's a feature of the Olympus EVIS X1 System that uses deep learning (AI) to scan for and suggest possible legions during a coloscopy procedure. This happens almost in real time so the doctor can investigate immediately.
By increasing the early detection rate, it can lead to the increased prevention of colorectal cancers, which is a great thing for all of us.
Here's Dr Angus Thomson with a quick review...

12/03/2026

'Kidney Health for All - Caring for People, Protecting the Planet'. That's the theme we all got behind yesterday on World Kidney Day .
With 1 in 10 people affected by chronic kidney disease worldwide, early detection is key.
This year, World Kidney Day also focuses on how environmental changes can be detrimental to kidney health, and CKD treatment also creates and enviro-burden through high water, chemical and plastics use. With the backing of the World Health Organisation, there is a call for governments, health industries and communities to prioritise prevention and early detection and transform dialysis toward sustainability.

The team in our Renal Dialysis Unit agree and got decked in orange to show their support for reducing the impact of chronic kidney disease and making treatment accessible for everyone!

10/03/2026

Let's run some fresh eyes over these two - today we sat down with Julie and Clare, RNs from our Day Surgery Unit - specifically the Eye Clinic.
You would never pick it, but Julie started her nurse training at St Vincent's Lismore 49 years ago! She spent 6 months at Sydney Eye Hospital to complete her certificate in Ophthalmology in the 90s and returned to bring her expertise to the St Vincent's Eye Clinic. Julie marvels at the technology and surgical advances in eyes over the decades; "Cataract patients used to be in hospital for a week, and now - three and a half hours" she explained.
Julie is a local from the Channon and loves her role at St Vincent's now mentoring the younger nurses (shout out to her daughter Amanda, now a nurse in Day Surgery too!).
Enter Clare, who grew up in her teen years in the area, and started her nursing career at St Vincent's. Clare then went for a stint in Brisbane as an Emergency Nurse before moving to a GP Clinic which she enjoyed far more because of the personal connections she could make with patients.
Eventually it was back to Lismore, and along with fellow nurse Dee, Julie took them under her wing. "I feel like the three of us have kind of formed a little team". They prep each patient for eye surgery by running them through what to expect, applying dilation where necessary, and providing care during recovery.
So why do you love this team so much?
"We seem to just gel, it's like a dance in a way" says Julie "we all know what each other are doing and if one gets caught up the other jumps in to fill in without losing a beat".
Clare adds "it feels like being with your family - I never feel silly for asking a question, and if one of us is having a bad day we just work it out and lift each other up - I've never experienced a workplace like that before."
Julie says that the entire Day Surgery team are great to work with, and good people to be around as well. She likes hanging out with the young crew, and thinks they keep her young as well. So no 'retirement talk' just yet she says!
It was great hanging with these ladies and, knowing the amazing Ophthalmologists we have working from St Vincent's you can rest assured your eyeballs will be in great hands when you come through the Eye Clinic!

05/03/2026

Sharing a great Prime 7 story following the launch of the Toumai laparoscopic Surgical Robot last week at St Vincent's Lismore. First cases have now successfully gone through, and we're looking forward to ramping up our Robotic Assisted Surgery service over the coming months.

05/03/2026

We'd like to welcome (back) Dr Alanna Wood, the latest specialist consultant to join the St Vincent's network.
Dr Wood is a highly trained eye surgeon, but more importantly, is a product of regional Queensland, who has come to call the Northern Rivers home.

Alanna recently completed a glaucoma fellowship at Bristol Eye Hospital in the United Kingdom, where she gained extensive experience managing complex and refractory Glaucoma, and complex cataracts.
Alanna is passionate about improving access to eye care in remote and regional communities, having worked in areas such as Darwin, Coffs Harbour, and Lismore during her training. Alanna now returns from the UK to the Northern Rivers to become an integral part of the eye care community.

Having recently caught her presentation at a local Women's GP Information Evening, it's clear Alanna is passionate about bringing the latest research, learnings and innovation to ensure her patients receive the most up-to-date treatment techniques.

So if you are at your GP discussing eye surgery, ask for Dr Wood by name!
https://www.svh.org.au/specialist/alanna-wood/

27/02/2026

Thanks to all involved with this week's launch of our new TOUMAI Surgical Robot here at St Vincent's Lismore.
We look forward to seeing patients in the Northern Rivers benefit most from this tech, right here on your doorstep.

For a bit more of a deep dive on Robotic Assisted Surgery (RAS) check out this article:
https://www.svh.org.au/news/robotic-surgery-redefining-whats-possible-in-the-operating-theatre/

Robotic Surgery: Redefining What’s Possible in the Operating Theatre Jan 14, 2026 First private hospital in australia to launch toumai® robot At St Vincent’s Private Hospital Lismore, innovation in patient care is at the heart of everything we do. In Febraury 2026, we are proud to become the fi...

25/02/2026

Robotic Surgery comes to Lismore!
Today St Vincent’s Hospital Lismore proudly becomes the first private hospital in Australia to introduce the Medbot TOUMAI® Surgical Robotic System.
This advanced technology allows surgeons to perform complex procedures using minimally invasive keyhole surgery, offering patients greater precision, improved safety, and faster recovery times.
The new robot will support surgeries in urology, gynaecology, and general surgery, bringing world-class surgical care closer to home for the Northern Rivers community.
SVH Chairman Damian Chapelle, CEO Peter Fahey and Medbot GM Aijaz Shaikh joined Urologist Dr Kenny Low in presenting the TOUMAI® to the press this morning, along with local dignitaries, and members of the staff and public.
First robotic cases have kicked off this Feb, and numbers will grow in coming months as more of our surgeons complete their training and commence surgery at St Vincent's. We look forward to delivering even better outcomes—right here in Lismore!