MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

If you or a member of your family is seriously injured or very sick, you should call an ambulance by dialing 111 from any phone. Calls to this phone number are free and no payment at a public telephone kiosk is required.

Calling 111 will connect you to a Telecom operator who will ask which service is required Fire, Ambulance or Police.

Ask for an ambulance; give the address where it is needed, and your phone number. You should also explain the nature of the problem if you can, Try and help speed the progress of the Ambulance crew by waiting nearby to give clear directions to the injured person.

Your first port of call with a non urgent injury or sickness should be your GP. If it is outside normal opening hours, you can visit one of the ‘After Hours Medical Centers’ listed on the front of your telephone directory’s White pages (under the ‘Registered Medical Practitioners’ section).

There is a charge for using these centers but the waiting time is often much less than at hospitals, (which are designed to deal with more serious problems). Most After Hours clinics also have a pharmacy on site, so you can have your prescription filled without having to find an After Hours Pharmacy.

If you are in any doubt as to whether you should go to an After Hours Medical Clinic or a hospital, ring the After Hours Clinic before you leave home to explain the nature of the injury or illness and they will be able to help you decide which is the best course of action to take.

Note:In most parts of New Zealand, ambulances are provided by non-profit, community-based organizations. Although they do not operate as a profit-making business they may, however, charge part of the cost of transporting apatient to hospital. This generally ranges between $45-$70 and is used to help pay for running costs.