Anyone can call Healthline free on 0800 611 116 for health advice, treatment and information about what to do next, anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Healthline is funded by Te Whatu Ora / Health New Zealand (in partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora / The Māori Health Authority) and provided by Whakarongorau Aotearoa // New Zealand Telehealth Services.
What happens when you call Healthline?
You‘ll speak to a friendly, knowledgeable person who will ask you questions about the condition or illness you’re calling about.
- From your answers, they assess symptoms and make a recommendation for the best thing to do.
- They can tell you how to take care of yourself – or the person you’re ringing about – at home.
- They might refer you to a Healthline doctor.
- Or they might advise you to see your doctor or go to hospital straight away, or if things get worse – and what to look out for..
- They can also help with information about where to find your nearest after-hours GP service, hospital emergency department, pharmacy, out-of-hours dental surgery etc.
Who provides the advice?
Healthline is staffed by an experienced, trained team who have worked in many different places – including in GP surgeries and hospitals, and for ambulance services. They include nurses, paramedics, health advisors and doctors.
How can the Healthline team tell what’s happening over the phone?
They use their clinical experience together with a world-class, successful clinical decision support tool widely used for telephone consultations. It's like having another clinician by their side.
They can also get you to send them a picture or a video of what you’ve called about – for example a rash, or a cut, or how your child’s chest is looking when they breath in and out.
Why can they only assess someone the caller is with?
They need to ask specific questions to be able to check what is actually happening for that person at that time.
What’s the most common thing people call Healthline about?
The Healthline team respond to over 1000 calls a day.
The most common adult illness people ring about is stomach pain. The two most common child illnesses people ring about are fever and vomiting.
If you want to know more about these or other health topics see Conditions and treatments.
What’s the difference between Healthline and PlunketLine?
If your child is well, call PlunketLine on 0800 933 922 and a Plunket nurse can provide advice about child health or parenting. For example, you may have a question about crying, sleeping, your child’s growth, development, behaviour, immunisation, breastfeeding, nutrition, oral health, safety – or want to know more about the Well Child/Tamariki Ora programme.
If your child is unwell or hurt or has any symptoms of sickness, the Healthline team can provide advice about what’s happening and next steps to take
The PlunketLine and Healthline teams will work together to make sure that you get the right service and care.
Find out more about PlunketLine.
How to give feedback on Healthline
Your feedback is welcomed at any time – email [email protected].
How to contact Whakarongorau Aotearoa
Here's how to contact Whakarongorau Aotearoa.
Privacy and consumer rights
Callers to telephone advice services have the same rights as other consumers of health services. More information can be found on the website of the Health and Disability Commissioner.
Healthline is run by Whakarongorau Aotearoa. The privacy of personal information is very important to them and you can take a look at their privacy policies here.
Healthline resources
If your organisation needs Healthline resources (fridge magnets, posters, leaflets, etc), these can be ordered on the HealthEd website.
