The Maclean Lower Clarence Hospital Auxiliary recently hosted a successful Zone Conference at Yamba Golf Club with over a hundred members in attendance. The official opening and welcome was performed by Mr Dan Madden, the CEO of Maclean and Grafton hospitals. He spoke about the future of medical treatment and hospitals, foreseeing the use of robots. He was pleased to announce that the state government has released more funding, with permission to spend $900,000 in this region. The president of the Maclean Lower Clarence Hospital Auxiliary, Sandra Bradbury, introduced the Regional Representative, Mollie Strong, who then took over to chair the meeting. Mollie complimented Maclean on the beautiful table decorations, made by members under the direction of Rita Nutt. Then she welcomed the State President of UHA, Marion Dickins, and the members from other auxiliaries. Various fund raising efforts were mentioned and she stated that there are approximately six hundred members in this zone. She outlined the benefits people gain from volunteering. The State President, Marion Dickins, congratulated the zone on the presence of representatives from every district except one remote town. She was especially pleased to see so many men members. This is the eighty-third year of UHA with almost six thousand members in NSW spread across one hundred and ninety four branches who have recorded 954,599 hours of work in the past year. The sum of $6,459,131 was raised of which $5,699,202 was spent on equipment for hospitals. Marion thanked all the executives of the branches, especially the treasurers who sent in their returns by the cut off date. Victoria has just legislated for the use of medical marijuana and Marion hopes that NSW will soon follow. She spoke about problems with obesity and dental health in children. She announced that official UHA pens are now available to present as gifts to guest speakers. Mollie Strong was thanked for her tireless work over a number of years and the meeting was told that this year’s state conference will be held at Bankstown, Sydney, in October. The zone conference next year will be hosted by Murwillumbah. The guest speaker was Dr Dean Robertson, GP VMO, in the Emergency Department at Maclean District Hospital. He showed a photograph of the E D room with all the equipment provided by the auxiliary, comparing it to the complicated equipment in the cockpit of a modern plane. He noted that pilots have a checklist to go through to avoid any mistakes and this inspired him to design a book of checklists for hospital emergency departments titled “Emergency Protocols” which will be freely available for standardised care in all hospitals. Going alphabetically,a representative from each auxiliary gave a report on their activities, starting with Ballina, then Bonalbo, Byron Bay, Casino, Coraki, Grafton, Kyogle, Lismore, Maclean, Mullimbimby, Murwillumbah, Nimbin, St Vincent’s Blue and White palliative care ladies and, finally, Tweed Heads. After lunch there was discussion on a resolution concerning the running of shops in the hospitals which will be put forward at the state conference. The conference concluded with the drawing of the raffle which raised $283 and good wishes to all for a safe trip home. Maggie Combley