Frequently asked questions
Q: What is NURSE-ON-CALL?
A: NURSE-ON-CALL is a new phone service that provides immediate, expert health advice from a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service, staffed by registered nurses, will be available from any landline in Victoria for the cost of a local call.
Q: Will I have to speak to a machine before I speak with a real nurse?
A: No. A 15-second pre-recorded message will advise callers of their privacy rights when contacting NURSE-ON-CALL, but then calls will be directly answered by a registered nurse.
Q: How quickly will my call be answered?
A: NURSE-ON-CALL is committed to answering all calls as quickly as possible and aims to answer 80 per cent of all calls within 20 seconds. If it's an emergency, you should call 000.
Q: Does the service operate on public holidays?
A: Yes. NURSE-ON-CALL operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including public holidays.
Q: Can I remain anonymous if I call NURSE-ON-CALL?
A: Yes. The nurse will ask you for some basic personal details, but you may remain anonymous if you wish. All information provided remains confidential and records are fully secure. The privacy policy is available from the McKesson Asia-Pacific website. (external link)
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Q: What training and experience do NURSE-ON-CALL staff have?
A: All calls will be answered by a registered nurse, who is fully qualified to work in Victoria. In addition, all NURSE-ON-CALL staff are fully trained to use the computer software system enabling them to instantly access the most up-to-date health advice and information.
Q: Is the advice provided by NURSE-ON-CALL safe?
A: You can be confident that the advice given is safe. NURSE-ON-CALL staff are supported by state-of-the-art computer based clinical advice that is constantly reviewed and updated to ensure information is accurate and clinically sound. The information is reviewed regularly by highly-trained medical advisors.
The company running NURSE-ON CALL (McKesson Asia-Pacific Pty. Ltd) operates similar health call centres throughout Australia and New Zealand. The software has been used in Australia and overseas for 10 years. To date there have been 5 million calls taken without any critical incidents.
Q: Is this service run anywhere else in Australia?
A: Similar health call centres are also in operation in Western Australia, Queensland and the ACT. As well as a number of localised health advice lines, NURSE-ON-CALL is the only line of its kind fully funded by the Victorian Government.
Q: Who is the service provider?
A: NURSE-ON-CALL is being run by McKesson Asia-Pacific, an organisation with extensive experience running this type of service. McKesson has delivered similar services in Western Australia, Northern Territory, ACT and New Zealand.
Q: What will happen to other health help lines like the poisons line, Lifeline and Parentline?
A: These services will continue to operate in conjunction with NURSE-ON-CALL. Callers may still choose to seek advice from these specialised services or to ring NURSE-ON-CALL. NURSE-ON-CALL will refer to these other health services if necessary. The service provider, McKesson, has met with all of these services to establish agreed protocols and call referral arrangements.
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Q: Why is the Government funding this service?
A: The Victorian Government is funding NURSE-ON-CALL to ensure every Victorian has access to professional health advice anytime of the day or night. It is an additional service that will complement Victoria’s public hospitals and emergency services.
Q: Where I can find reliable on-line health information?
A: The Better Health Channel, established by the Victorian Government, provides on-line health and medical information for the Victorian community that is quality assured, reliable, up-to-date and locally relevant.
Q: Will NURSE-ON-CALL be able to write me a referral to a doctor or organise a priority appointment?
A: NURSE-ON-CALL is not set up to make appointments or write referrals. The nurse may suggest you see a GP or visit an emergency department, depending on your symptoms and will be able to give you details of your closest hospital or GP clinic. The nurse will not provide a diagnosis so a referral is not used. Making appointments may be a feature of further developments for the service.
Q: What happens if I need an interpreter to help me with my call?
A: NURSE-ON-CALL provides access to interpreting services for callers not confident with English.
The National Relay Service is available to assist callers who are hearing or speech impaired.
Q: What happens if am unhappy with the service?
A: We value your feedback regarding the NURSE-ON-CALL service. If you wish to make any comment about the service you received you can do so by calling 1300 60 60 24 directly.
Where necessary, your call will be reviewed by team leaders and a medical advisor and feedback provided to you. If you are still not satisfied with the feedback you receive you can refer your matter to the Health Services Commissioner. Toll free: 1800 136 066
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