About our population health services
We deliver population (public) health services that protect and promote the health and wellbeing of people in Hunter New England and wider communities.
We serve more than 840,000 residents across 132,845 square kms.
Our services include:
- monitoring and responding to environmental, emergency and infectious disease threats in the local health district
- promoting policies, services, environments and behaviours that improve health.
Our services are guided by and use the principles and strategies of:
- research
- surveillance
- epidemiology
- health protection and promotion
- behavioural and practice change research.
Our community
The major diseases that currently burden our community are:
- stroke
- cancer
- injuries
- diabetes
- infectious diseases
- cardiovascular disease.
Health inequalities, infectious diseases and environmental health are negative impacts to our population health and remain a challenge.
The health behaviours that majorly contribute to our region’s disease burden include:
- smoking
- lack of immunisation
- poor diet and nutrition
- not enough physical activity
- consuming too much alcohol.
Service contacts
Contact your nearest population health office in Hunter New England LHD.
Phone:1300 066 055
Fax: (02) 4924 6490
Street address: Hunter New England Population Health, Booth Building, Wallsend Health Services, Longworth Avenue Wallsend NSW 2287
Postal address: Hunter New England Population Health, Locked Bag 10 Wallsend NSW 2287
Phone:1300 066 055
Fax: (02) 6766 3003
Street address: Hunter New England Population Health, Building TA18B, Dean Street Tamworth NSW 2340
Postal address: Hunter New England Population Health, Locked Bag 9783 NEMSC, Tamworth NSW 2348
Phone:1300 066 055
Fax: (02) 6515 1804
Street address: Hunter New England Population Health, Suite 2/57-61 Albert Street, Taree NSW 2430 (entry to the office is via Stokes Avenue, off Albert Street)
Postal address: Hunter New England Population Health, PO Box 966, Taree NSW 2430
Our key service areas
Healthy living
Learn more about our healthy living programs and how to easily make eating and active living choices.
Infectious diseases
Learn more about how we monitor, respond to and prevent infectious diseases.
Immunisation, allergy and immunology
Learn how we help keep you, your family, and the community safe from diseases.
Environmental health
Environmental health is concerned with biological, chemical, physical and social factors in our natural and built environment, which can pose a risk to human health.
In NSW the responsibility for environmental health is shared by state and local governments.
Contact us to request for help or to discuss any environmental health issues. You can email our environmental health team at HNELHD-PHEnvironmentalhealth@health.nsw.gov.au
You can also call your nearest Hunter New England Population Health office to speak with an Environment Health Officer.
Hunter New England LHD has an experienced team of Environment Health Officers (officers) who protect our residents by monitoring, investigating and providing advice about potential environmental health hazards to agencies and our communities.
They act on several issues like drinking water, air quality, waste removal and food safety.
The officers work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to empower their communities to identify and resolve environmental health issues.
They have a legislative responsibility to make sure their work, projects, and any advice they provide are informed by:
- associated Regulations.
Our officers can work with your community and government departments, and advise on:
- tobacco control
- housing repairs
- sewerage systems
- community clean ups
- drinking water supplies
- handwashing education
- domestic animal management
- pest control (e.g. mosquitos, rodents)
- grant and funding applications programs (e.g. Housing for Health, Mister Germ, Dog Health).
Issues that can impact environmental health
- overcrowding
- poor sanitation
- poor waste disposal
- air and dust problems
- unsafe built environments
- unsafe food and drinking water
- animals, pests like rats, mice and insects
- diseases from mosquitos and other insects.
Infections and sickness caused by poor environmental health
- eye disease
- skin infections
- diarrhoeal diseases
- asthma, breathing problems caused by infection.