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Health advice hotline for Hunter New England region
People living in the Hunter New England Health area needing general, non urgent health information will have access to the National Health Call Centre Network healthdirect Australia from today.
The NSW Government has invested more than $25million over four years and worked in partnership with the Australian, ACT, NT, SA and WA Governments to realise healthdirect Australia.
healthdirect Australia provides a 24-hour hotline for people who need general, non-urgent health information or advice. The advice is delivered by registered nurses who are supported by health triage software, a website and an up-to-date service directory of local facilities.
Hunter New England Health’s Director of Clinical Operations Tracey McCosker said by June 2009, people living anywhere in NSW will be able to contact the hotline and at this stage more than 650,000 calls from NSW residents will be managed by healthdirect Australia each year.
“We started rolling out healthdirect Australia in late 2008 and it will be available right across NSW by May 2008,” Ms McCosker said.
“This roll out will help ensure a smooth transition and maintain the high quality of advice from the nurses on the healthdirect line.”
Ms McCosker said that the role out of healthdirect Australia across the Hunter New England Health area would ensure the public had access to important health information and help people make good choices about where to seek treatment and when.
“I’m delighted healthdirect Australia is now available to people in the Hunter New England Health area,” Ms McCosker said.
“If people have a health concern and are unsure what to do next they can call healthdirect Australia.
“It is important to remember that Health Direct is not an emergency service. People with a health emergency should still contact 000,” Ms McCosker said.
A website featuring key health information is a planned further development of healthdirect.
Calls to healthdirect Australia on landlines will be free but mobile charges may apply.
The healthdirect Australia number is 1800 022 222.
Contact: Sharna McCarthy
Phone: 02 4921 4501
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