Health and Community Services
July 2, 2015
Providing Health Services to All Residents
Provincial Government Launches Enhancements to HealthLine
Residents of the province will benefit from enhancements to the HealthLine, a service that provides confidential and free health information and advice via a telephone line staffed by experienced registered nurses. The enhancements are designed to promote increased usage and awareness of HealthLine services and include a new telephone number (811), an app, an updated website and marketing materials.
“The HealthLine provides an important service for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, providing access to health care in non-emergency situations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, regardless of where individuals live in the province. To ensure that residents are receiving the maximum benefit from the service, we have enhanced the role of the HealthLine. Today’s event highlights these new enhancements that will increase awareness and improve access to HealthLine services, help individuals navigate the healthcare system and its services, and increase access to health information and advice overall.”
- The Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Community Services
The new enhancements to the HealthLine include:
- 811 - a new provincial telephone number that is easy to remember and is accessible to persons who are hard of hearing through TTY and for non-English speaking residents;
- Follow-up calls to provide further support to those who have contacted the HealthLine because of a mild to moderate mental health or addictions concern;
- An app for mobile phones that facilitates quick contact with the HealthLine and provides easily accessible information and contact details for health and wellness services available in the province (i.e. helplines, support groups, health care centres, and mental health and addictions services);
- An updated website at www.yourhealthline.ca
that provides additional information about what services the HealthLine provides, what types of issues the HealthLine can help with, and contact details for health and wellness services available in the province; and - An awareness campaign that includes new branding materials, television, radio, and online ads, as well as posters and magnets.
“Through the new, easily remembered telephone number – 811 – as well as the app and updated website, more families and communities will be encouraged to use the HealthLine. The enhancements are intended to motivate the people of the province to call the line as a complement to existing health care services, to facilitate use of the most appropriate health services, and to provide an alternate method of accessing health education and advice.”
- Minister Kent
As part of the Provincial Government's ongoing commitment to enhance service delivery, approximately $3 million is provided annually to maintain the HealthLine. For more information about the HealthLine, visit www.yourhealthline.ca .
QUICK FACTS:
- The Provincial Government has launched enhancements to the HealthLine that are designed to promote awareness and increase usage.
- Enhancements to the HealthLine include a new provincial telephone number (811), supportive follow-up calls to mental health and addictions callers, an app, an updated website, and an awareness campaign to promote usage of the service.
- As part of the Provincial Government's ongoing commitment to enhance service delivery, approximately $3 million is provided annually to maintain the HealthLine.
- For more information about the HealthLine, visit www.yourhealthline.ca .
- 30 -
Media contact:
|
Tina Williams Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 728-2837 tinawilliams@gov.nl.ca |
2015 07 02 10:10 a.m.