Key Information - Health and Service Organisation Contacts
In this section of our website you will find a range of links and/or contact details to health organisations and other services that are of available to you and your family.
Throughout this section is a collection of services with local contact details and or websites that provide information for women in the Goulburn Valley and North East Victoria. When contacting an organisation without a free call number, most are happy for you to ring and ask them to ring you back, to save the cost of your call.
Questions to ask health professionals.
During September 2006 the ABC broadcast a special report, Facing the Evidence. This two-part series looked at the importance of asking health professionals for evidence based health care: Karen Carey-Hazell, consumer advocate, suggested asking your healthcare provider the following three questions:
Question 1: What are my treatment options?
Question 2: What are the possible outcomes of those options?
Question 3: How likely is each of the outcomes to occur?
Thanks to Karen Carey-Hazell.
Key Phone Numbers and Websites
- Sexual Assault Crisis Line
Free call 1800 806 292 : Website www.casa.org.au/umcasa/
Confidential 24 hr emergency or crisis helpline for victims who have recently been sexually assaulted
- Lifeline
Free call 13 11 14
24 hour counselling service
- The Mental Health Advice Line
Phone 1300 280 737 : Website www.health.vic.gov.au/mhal/
This is a statewide Victorian phone service that provides immediate, expert mental health advice from a registered mental health professional, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- WIRE (Women's Information, Referral and Exchange)
Free call 1800 136 570 : Website www.wire.org.au
- Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service
Free call 1800 015 188
- Action Centre Gay and Lesbian Counselling
Free call 1800 013 952
- Kids Help Line
Free call 1800 55 1800 : Website www.kidshelp.com.au
- SANE Help Line
Free call 1800 187 263 (Mon-Frid 9am - 5pm) : Website www.sane.org
- Child abuse Prevention Service
Free call 1800 688 009
24 hour crisis support services for parents
- Child Abuse Protection
Phone 13 12 78
- Homelessness
Free call 1800 825 955
State-wide after hours service
- Police
Free call 000
If on an out of range mobile call 112
- Nurse-On-Call 24 Hour Health Advice - 7 days a week
Phone 1300 60 60 24
Nurse-On-Call Bushfire Health & Counselling Line
Phone 1300 606 024
24 hour service for people affected by the bushfire in Victoria, including front-line workers, volunteers and service providers. Cost of a local call (higher for mobiles).
- Men's Referral Service
Free call 1800 065 973 or (03) 9428 2899 : Website www.mrs.org.au
9am to 9pm Monday to Friday : Calls are free, anonymous and confidential
Rights and Complaints
In Victoria individuals have a right of access to their health information and to make complaints about health service providers. The Health Services Commissioner (HSC) is an independent statutory authority established to receive and resolve complaints about health service providers. The HSC also handles complaints about disclosure of health information and access to health information. Whenever possible make a complaint with the health service provider. If your complaint involves a hospital, you can contact the complaint liaison officer or patient representative. If this does not work, you can make a written complaint to the HSC. If you need help to put your complaint in writing, ring the HSC telephone advice line: 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. A complaint can be made against any person or organisation that collects and/or handles health information, including doctors, pharmacists, alternative therapists, dentists, hospitals, physiotherapists, ambulance services, nurses, psychiatric services, optometrists, chiropractors and counsellors.
- Health Services Commissioner Complaints and Information
Free call 1800 136 066
Finding a services
In the Health Contact section of the WHGNE website we have tried to link to services covering Goulburn Valley and North East Victoria, below you will find three government website that link to services throughout Victoria.
- Connectingcare: Health and Community Services Directory
Website www.connectingcare.com
This site provides links to health and community services within different municipalities around Victoria - The Human Services Directory (HSD)
Website humanservicesdirectory.vic.gov.au
HSD aims to provide Practitioners and Service Providers with access to accurate and up-to-date information about health, social & disability services in Victoria. This information may be used to both inform consumers and to communicate with other practitioners, including referring consumers to other services. - The Infoxchange Service Seeker
Website www.serviceseeker.com.au
Contains details on government and non-government services and agencies in Victoria
