Staff Specialist - Anatomical Pathology - Coffs Harbour Health Campus (eCred)

• The Staff Specialist will provide high quality diagnostic, consultative, procedural and on-call specialty services in Anatomical Pathology, and will participate in teaching, research, quality improvement and administrative activities commensurate with the Staff Specialists (State) Award.
• The Staff Specialist will ensure a high standard of professional performance and, where required, the encouragement of an academic environment which supports research and development.
  
  

Why join NSWHP at Coffs Harbour?

Working at NSWHP Coffs Harbour

NSW health pathology Coffs Harbour invites you to join our team of experienced and supportive pathologists who are committed to providing an excellent service to the region. Come and enjoy the lifestyle benefits of living in a regional beachside town and discover why all of our pathologists enjoy working here.

NSWHP on the Mid North Coast is based at the Coffs Harbour Health Campus (CHHC), with a second laboratory at Port Macquarie Hospital.

CHHC is the major referral centre for residents of Coffs Harbour, Bellingen and Nambucca Valley local government areas, which contains a recently expanded, 357-bed, level five teaching hospital for medicine, nursing, and allied health. It is a hub for health research in the region and hosts the UNSW rural medical school.

Our anatomical pathology department has undergone rapid growth in the last five years. Three years ago we acquired at large space in the hospital for the AP laboratory and our pathologists moved into spacious new offices. Four pathologists are based at Coffs Harbour and one at Port Macquarie. We have an enthusiastic AP team, including several scientists who are trained in complex specimen dissection, and two AP trainees. We run an efficient laboratory with a reputation for excellent turnaround times.

We provide a service to public and private hospitals, GPs, surgeons and local radiology practices on the mid north coast. A significant proportion of specimens are from private referrals. We are also the BreastScreen NSW pathology provider for the north coast from Port Macquarie to the Queensland border. Our pathologists provide rapid onsite screening for fine needle aspiration biopsies performed by interventional radiologists. All frozen sections are performed onsite in the Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie laboratories. 

Our pathologists have expertise and experience in a variety of subspecialties and have created a supportive work environment for each other and for our AP trainees. to each other accordingly. NSWHP at John Hunter Hospital provide excellent support as our primary referral hospital for external opinions and additional immunohistochemical tests. We have well-established and efficient referral pathways for molecular pathology tests.

Our pathologists participate in multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, all via MS Teams. Pathologists teach and assess UNSW students and supervise their research projects. Medical students from Charles Sturt University visit our department for short rotations.

We take pride in providing sufficient opportunity for AP trainees to develop knowledge and skills in microscopic examination. Our competent scientific staff facilitate this by contributing to complex specimen dissection.

So, join us at NSWP Coffs Harbour and become part of a collaborative team which provides an excellent service to the mid north coast and is highly valued by our colleagues in other medical specialties.

Living on the Coffs Coast - (visit https://www.coffscoast.com.au)

The Coffs Coast is the first globally recognised ECO destination in NSW. It is rich in natural attractions including uncrowded beaches for surfing and swimming, national parks with lookouts high above the coastline, and Muttonbird island, the perfect place for whale watching between May and November.

Wildlife can also be viewed up close at Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary, Solitary Islands Aquarium and Coffs Harbour Butterfly House.

The harbour still has its historic wooden Jetty and a fleet of trawlers which provide fresh seafood directly to the Fishermen’s co-op. Coffs Harbour and Bellingen have several farmers and growers markets from which to buy fresh locally grown food. Coffs Harbour, Sawtell and Bellingen are known for high quality restaurants, cafés and bakeries.

The Big Banana was Australia’s first “Big Thing”. It is now part of the Big Banana Fun Park, which includes a café, mini-golf, laser tag, toboggan rides, a water park and giant slide. 

Coffs Harbour and Bellingen have thriving arts communities. Coffs Harbour is home to the National Cartoon Gallery and Holden motor museum, Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs Harbour Regional Conservatorium and Yarilla Arts and Museum (the regional art gallery and museum). Coffs Harbour is a popular venue for local, national and international performers. Shows are held at the Coffs Harbour International Stadium, Jetty Memorial theatre, local hotels and pubs and at outdoor venues. The annual Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival attracts leading Australian authors and the Sydney Writers Festival holds some events at Coffs Harbour Library.

There are many local team sporting competitions.  A regular Park Run is held on Saturday mornings around the Jetty foreshore and the local triathlon club holds races every fortnight between September and April. 

Coffs Harbour is home to three local sporting events which attract thousands of competitors each year: the Coffs Harbour Triathlon (bcu Coffs Tri), the Coffs Harbour running festival and the Coffs Ocean Swims, all raising money for local charities.

For those who prefer less competitive exercise, a dual bicycle and foot path follows the coastline and there are many trails for mountain-biking. There are several 24 hour gyms and an aquatic centre with 50m pool. Exploring the creeks, rivers, and surf of the Coffs Coast by kayak or canoe is a popular activity.  

The more adventurous can try scuba diving, Go-Kart driving or skydiving.

There are several golf courses on the Coffs Coast, including Bonville Golf Resort, voted Australia’s Favourite Golf Course in Golf Australia Magazine’s Australia’s 50 Favourite Golf Courses poll for 7 years in a row. It has hosted several major golf tournaments.

The Coffs Harbour International Stadium hosts NRL and Big Bash League (cricket) matches.

Coffs Harbour Education Campus (CHEC) is a partnership between the Southern Cross University, TAFE and the Coffs Harbour Senior College.

Attractive residential areas are located within 10 minutes of the hospital. No more long commutes means more time for rest and play.

Coffs Harbour is less than 3 hours’ drive from the Gold Coast. The regional airport connects to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne with direct flights is regularly serviced by Link Airways, Qantas and Regional Express.  

The Coffs Harbour Aero Club supports private pilots. Flying lessons, discovery flights and charter flights are available from the club, which also works closely with local high schools to provide flying training for students.

Coffs Harbour is serviced by NSW TrainLink. Three northbound and three southbound XPT trains stop at Coffs Harbour station each day.

The Coffs Harbour bypass is due to be open to traffic in late 2026 and completed in late 2027. It will save motorists up to 12 minutes of driving time, bypassing up to 14 sets of traffic lights, making trips to and from Coffs Harbour easier.

Relocating to the Mid-North Coast

Employment with NSW Health in Rural and Regional areas is rewarding and well-supported. You will play an crucial role in a dedicated team, where the impact of your work will be directly felt within the community. Working in smaller laboratory settings offers the opportunity to develop your skills more rapidly, gain hands-on experience, and advance your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Find out more about additional support available for working in Rural and Regional NSW through this link.

Click this link to take a look inside some of our Rural and Regional Labs.

If you are looking to relocate to any of our regional areas, The Welcome Experience will be able to assist. This program is designed to assist with relocation needs such as finding housing, enrolling in schools, and getting acquainted with the local community. To learn more about how we can support your transition, please click here