New South Wales

Palliative care organisations

• Palliative Care NSW. Phone: (02) 8076 5600
• Palliative Care Australia. Phone: (02) 6232 0700.

Carers support and respite

• Carers NSW
• Compassionate Friends NSW (Bereavement)
• Freecall: 1800 671 621
• Healthdirect lists resources for those caring for others as well as information on respite care and residential care
• Myagedcare website has some helpful information for carers.
• Freecall: 1800 200 422
• For young carers: Young Carers New South Wales

Respite Care

• Aged Care Guide has a list of respite services in your state.
• Carer Gateway provides an easy way to find respite service providers in your area. Phone: 1800 422 737
• Commonwealth Home support Programme
• Carer Gateway Australia has a Carer Counselling Program Freecall 1800 422 737, or go to the webpage and Request a Callback and they will ring you
• Myagedcare provides an overview of respite care and eligibility and assessment
• Freecall: 1800 200 422
• Care Connect is a not-for-profit organisation which offers respite and other services. Phone: 1800 692 464.

Health services

Aged Care Assessments

• The first step to access government-funded care services is to speak with My Aged Care services about arranging for an assessment by calling 1800 200 422. If you have been assessed and are ready to find a suitable local service provider visit Find a provider on the My Aged Care pages.
• Carers Australia: Information sheets on dealing with hospitals
• GP helpline. For after-hours medical advice when you cannot access your usual GP, call the GP helpline on 1800 022 222 for assistance.
• Health Care Complaints Commission
• Phone: 1800 043 159
• NSW Health Directory for all health services in NSW
• National Health Service Directory.

Information and advice

• Carer Gateway
• Disability Advocacy NSW
• Information on Disability and Education Awareness Services
• Disability & Aged Information Service
• The Disability Trust Phone: 1300 347 224
• Infoxchange Service Seeker
• Kids Help Line. Freecall: 1800 55 1800
• Legal Aid (NSW)
• Lifeline. Phone: 13 11 14
• Mensline Australia. Phone: 1300 789 978
• Office of the Public Guardian
• Physical Disability Council of NSW
• Advance Care Planning Australia: Information on advance care planning.

Equipment and supplies

• Enable NSW aids and equipment program (also known as PADP) in NSW provides assistance programs for access to a range of equipment.
• Assistive Technology Australia (Independent Living Centre NSW)
• In some cases the Australian government also funds payments to help with the cost of running medical equipment at home, such as a dialysis machine or an oxygen concentrator.

Transport and travel

• Angel Flight Australia Coordinates non emergency flights for financially and medically needy people. Freecall: 1300 726 567
• Australian Transport for the Disabled. Car hire with disabled access and self drive vehicles.
• Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (NSW)
• National Public Toilet Map
• New South Wales Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (TTSS)
• Patient Transport Service (PTS) for non-emergency ambulance transport
• Roads and Maritime Services Mobility (Disabled) Parking Scheme.

Financial assistance

• Centrelink
  • Carers' support and other payments
  • Disability support pension
  • Health care card
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs provides access to a range of services for veterans and war widow/widowers.

Help within your home

• The Commonwealth Government funds a range of services for older Australians. You can find details at the myAgedcare website.
• The Australian Government Commonwealth Home Support Programme
  • If you want to stay in your own home, but need some help with daily tasks, or require entry level care, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme may be able to help.
• Home modification: Better Health Channel provides a checklist for use when considering home modifications
• New South Wales Meals on Wheels
• The Australian government MyAgedcare website, what services are available and how to access them.

Complaints process

• The Complaint Line website provides guidance on how to make a complaint about health practitioners, with the details for each state, for AHPRA and provides links to other health professional associations.
• The Australian Government Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission site gives consumers guidance on how to lodge a complaint or raise a concern. This website links to the official online complaint lodgement form which allows the complainant to choose the level of privacy of the complaint.