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We’ve opened a new pathology collection service in Lake Macquarie, just near Charlestown Square shopping centre and with a welcoming, child-friendly atmosphere. All our staff are specialist paediatric collectors.
NSW Health Pathology is proud to be providing collection services at the newly opened Newcastle Health Enterprise medical centre in Charlestown.
The centre is designed to be welcoming for families and children and all our collectors are experienced in providing paediatric collection services.
“We’re all specialised in our field, we’ve been doing it for a long time,” said collector, Sherie Donoghoe.
“A lot of people, the minute they walk into a hospital they’re scared. It can be a big, scary space. But this is bright and happy, light and spacious.
“I’ve been doing paediatric collecting for about 10 years, and I’ve been doing general collections for about 35 years.”

Sherie says every child coming in for a pathology collection is different, and she approaches each with kindness and understanding, working with parents and carers to ensure the process is as quick and painless as possible.
“90 per cent of the time, they are really happy by the end of it and are bouncing out the door!”
Local Pathology Director for Hunter New England, Professor Huy Tran was recently joined by the NSW Health Pathology team for the official opening of the new medical centre.
He says he’s hoping local families take advantage of the new collection service.
“It’s away from the hurly burly of our hospital collection service at John Hunter and offers a very home-like environment for children and adults,” Prof Tran said.
“The advantage of this service is it’s linked up with the hospital system, both our system and also the clinical side will have access to all the information online, so we can improve rapid patient care.”


The centre has a dedicated collections room, and a separate, private waiting room for collections that take longer than a few minutes such as Glucose Tolerance Testing in pregnancy.
The Newcastle Health Enterprise medical centre is located at 218 Pacific Highway Charlestown, with an entrance via the Pearson Street Mall.
We accept all pathology referral forms and provide collections for adults and children. There’s no need to book for routine pathology collections and we bulk bill for all tests covered by Medicare.
We look forward to seeing you and taking care of you and your family!
