Health care

In an emergency, dial 111 and ask for an ambulance.

You will need to state your address clearly to the operator. Do not hang up the phone until the person on the phone, the operator, says you can. The operator will ask you questions about what the emergency is and may give you some instructions.

• Urgent and after-hours illness treatment is available from Dunedin Urgent Doctors (link to external website, new window)
  • 8am to 9pm daily
  • address: 18 Filleul Street, Dunedin
  • phone: 03 479 2900
  • this urgent medical service charges fees for its different services. (link to external website, new window)
• Dunedin Hospital has a free Emergency Department
  • 24 hours a day for emergency treatment only
  • address: 201 Great King Street
  • phone: 03 474 0999

For minor injuries or illness, patients should first visit their GP or the Dunedin Urgent Doctors.

The Urgent Pharmacy is located next door to the Dunedin Urgent Doctors on Filleul Street. It is open from 10am to 10pm every day including weekends and public holidays.

If your emergency is the result of an accident, your resulting healthcare will be paid for by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) (link to external website, new window).

ACC provides personal injury cover for all New Zealand citizens, residents and temporary visitors to New Zealand. If you are visiting New Zealand (link to external website, new window) temporarily, it is highly recommended that you get medical insurance.

Your doctor or healthcare professional will assist you with filling in the relevant ACC forms if your injury is an accident. See the ACC website (link to external website, new window) for more information.

General practices are, in most instances, your starting point for your health care needs. They are medical practices where different clinical staff (such as doctors, registered nurses, etc.) work as a team. For example, sometimes it may be necessary to see the doctor while other times you may be treated by a nurse. Doctors are also called a General Practitioner, or GP.

To find a GP in your area, have a look at the Southern Health A-Z (link to external website, new window).

You can also check the front of your telephone book, in the green pages, under Registered Medical Practitioners and Medical Centres.

You can enrol with a GP of your choice, anywhere in the city, and it is free to do so (some doctors’ rolls may be full - you may have to go on a waiting list or try to enrol with another doctor). After enrolling they will charge you a consultation fee when you go to see them. The cost of a consultation for enrolled patients is subsidised by the government. This means if you are not enrolled with a general practice but need to go to one as a 'casual' patient, it will usually cost more.

Unless you are visiting the urgent doctors or the emergency department, it is important to make an appointment to see your GP. You may have to wait a few days to see your regular GP.

If you decide to change GPs, it is important to tell your new doctor where your previous enrolment was, so your medical records can be sent to them by your former GP.

All children aged 13 and under can make free visits to a general practice (link to external website, new window), both during the day and after hours. This includes immunisations against serious disease, regular eyesight and hearing checks at school, and visits to the doctor. Not all GPs may provide free visits, so check with your GP first.

People on low incomes or who are receiving a pension may qualify for a Community Services Card (link to external website, new window) which entitles them to cheaper visits to their GP. There is also financial assistance for those people who have high health needs through a High Use Health Card (link to external website, new window). Ask your doctor for more information about these cards.

In all other situations, unless you have health insurance, you are responsible for your health care costs in a non-accident situation.

If you have private health insurance, some or all of your costs may be met by your insurance company.

Your GP or doctor will refer you for further tests or specialist treatment if needed. You will be referred to specialists through the public health system at Dunedin Hospital, which is free. There may be a waiting time depending on how urgent your case is. If you have private health insurance, or choose to pay for private medical care, you may be able to access private specialists.

Pharmacists (often called chemists) can offer advice on the safe and correct use of medicines and some health problems. They are able to sell you ‘over the counter’ medicines, which do not require a doctor's prescription. They also dispense medicines you have been prescribed by your doctor.

There is generally no charge to talk to a pharmacist about your health or medicines. However, not all staff working in a pharmacy are qualified pharmacists, so, if you need specific health or medicine advice, ask to speak to a pharmacist in the store.

SmartStart (link to external website, new window) provides helpful information about the services you can access at each stage of your pregnancy (antenatal care) and after your child is born (postnatal care). The Southern Health website (link to external website, new window) also offers an outline of the maternity system.

Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (link to external website, new window) offers low-cost or free advice and clinical services for sexual and reproductive health. Your doctor can also help you.

For information about what to do when somebody you know has died, or how to plan for when that happens, the New Zealand government provides some useful end of life services information (link to external website, new window).

Many natural therapists are registered with the Natural Health Practitioners New Zealand (link to external website, new window). This includes acupuncturists, homoeopaths, osteopaths, herbalists, among other specialties. Information may also be available at health shops in the city.

There are free and confidential phone services available 24 hours per day:

• Healthline (link to external website, new window) is a free over-the-phone health service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you or someone in your family is unwell, and you are not sure whether you need to seek medical help you can call Healthline on 0800 611 116 and speak to experienced nurses and paramedics for health advice and information about what to do next.
• Free call PlunketLine (link to external website, new window) for advice about children health and parenting on 0800 933 922.
• ‘1737, need to talk?’ (link to external website, new window) is New Zealand’s national mental health & addictions helpline number. Free call or text 1737 any time to talk with a trained counsellor. It’s completely free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• New Zealand has a National Poisons Centre (link to external website, new window) based in Dunedin. For information on poisons, or in the event someone may have been poisoned, or poison prevention and education free call 0800 764 766.
• If you wish for advice and support to stop smoking, free call Quitline (link to external website, new window) on 0800 778 778.
• For information, advice and support about domestic violence prevention, or to get help in a crisis, call Women’s Refuge (link to external website, new window) on 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843.

All children are cared for under the Well Child Tamariki Ora (link to external website, new window) programme until they are five years old, providing health and development checks and advice. The providers in Dunedin are:

• Plunket (link to external website, new window)
• Te Kāika (link to external website, new window)
• Pacific Trust Otago (link to external website, new window)

For more information about health services available to you, your child, and family visit KidsHealth (link to external website, new window).

Maintaining mental well-being is an important aspect of living well and managing the stresses of life. Challenges with mental health and addictions are common and can affect anyone.

There are services available to support you (link to external website, new window) and your family members through these experiences, whether through short-term assistance, or ongoing care.

How do I get urgent help if I/someone I know could be a serious and immediate danger to themselves or others?

If the danger is immediate and you feel you cannot manage the situation you can call the Police on 111, or for urgent help call the Mental Health Emergency Helpline on 0800 46 78 46 (press 1 for Southland and 2 for Otago regions).

I am at risk of self-harm/I know someone who is at risk of self-harm – where can I get help?

There are many support organisations for people at risk of self-harm/suicide.

• For adults https://healthify.nz/health-a-z/s/self-harm
• For youth https://www.youthline.co.nz/self-harm.html
• For children https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/self-harm

You can also talk to your GP for advice about where to get further help.

You can enrol with the dentist of your own choice. You are responsible for the cost unless it is an ACC (accident-related) matter.

Cheaper dental services may be available through the University of Otago Dental School (link to external website, new window), where people are treated by students who are closely supervised by their teachers. You need to have an appointment before going to see the clinic. Phone 03 479 8889 or email dental.clinicaladministration@otago.ac.nz to make an appointment.

Basic dental care through mobile school dental clinics is free from birth and while children are at primary school (link to external website, new window). Once in secondary school (year 9 and above), young people are also eligible for free dental care until their 18^th birthday, using private dentists who are designated adolescent dental care providers.

If your child is not a resident or citizen, contact your local mobile school dental clinic or Southern Health Community Oral Health Service to check their eligibility:

• phone 0800 672 543
• email community.oralhealth@southerndhb.govt.nz, or
• visit the Southern Health website (link to external website, new window).

If your child is eligible to receive free dental care, they will have regular appointments at a mobile clinic or with a designated private dental practitioner.

New Zealand has an extensive smokefree (link to external website, new window) law prohibiting smoking in all indoor areas of all workplaces. This includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vapes and herbal smoking products. The sale of smoking products is banned to those under 18 and the display of tobacco products in retail outlets is restricted.

When renting a house, landlords often say that tenants must be smokefree. For support to become smokefree, please go to the Southern DHB website (link to external website, new window).

Every person who uses health and disability services has rights and health professionals have duties. These rights and duties are clearly set out in the Code of Health and Disability Services - Consumer Rights. These rights include the right to be treated with respect, the right to make an informed choice and give informed consent, and the right to complain, among others.

For more information about your rights as a patient, visit the Southern DHB website (link to external website, new window).

Southern District Health Board (DHB) provides 24-hour language support in more than 55 languages. They can support you in hospital, or if you need to see another health care provider.

If you have been admitted to the hospital, please let hospital staff know that you need an interpreter.

If you need to see another health care provider, such as a GP, let them know that you need an interpreter as soon as possible. You can also contact Southern DHB directly to arrange this by phoning 03 474 0999, or email interpreter@southerndhb.govt.nz.

• Southern District Health Board (link to external website, new window)
• For information about the new hospital that is being built, visit newdunedinhospital.nz (link to external website, new window).