The NSW government say it has increased surveillance and boosted biosecurity capacity for H5 bird flu by 'dedicating additional resources to identifying potential cases coupled with an awareness campaign focused on input from the community and the needs of industry'.

Local health authorities are accepting expressions of interest in advisory group membership for the Northern NSW Local Health District.

Residents and travellers to the Lismore, Richmond Valley and Kyogle LGAs are eligible for free Japanese Encephalitis vaccines thanks to their higher risks of the virus.

The NSW Police say the Organised Crime Squad, together with NSW Health and the Australian Border Force (ABF), have charged four people and seized more than 18,000 vapes, 1.9 million illicit cigarettes, 74kg of loose-leaf tobacco and five unregistered firearms.

An average visit to an emergency department (ED) for a non-life-threatening reason, is pretty much guarenteed to lead to a long sit in a waiting room.

Three local hospitals are included in a list of 27 across rural and regional parts of NSW to have official Safe Staffing Levels introduced in emergency departments.

The NSW Government says it will introduce tough new laws to crackdown on the sale of illicit tobacco and illegal vaping goods across the state.

Retailers and wholesalers wishing to sell tobacco, or non-tobacco smoking products, must now apply for a licence as part of the NSW Government’s Tobacco Licensing Scheme.

The number of people in NSW who smoke cigarettes has fallen to its lowest level on record while vaping rates are said to be stabilising.

People seeking diagnosis of and treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will soon be able to access support from their general practioners (GPs) in NSW, the state government says.