The Parkinson’s NSW HealthLine

Shared decision making workshop
2nd April 2021
Board update
2nd April 2021

The Parkinson’s NSW HealthLine

The Parkinson’s NSW HealthLine

1800 644 189 is more than the number of the Parkinson’s NSW HealthLine (formerly referred to as InfoLine); it’s your gateway to a range of services facilitated by a team of Parkinson’s Registered Nurses and a team of other health care specialists.

HealthLine registered nurses, Cathy and Rachael (L to R)

Collectively they have more than 70 years of experience in supporting people living with Parkinson’s, caregivers, and families – as well as related fields like aged care, critical care, and gerontology.

The HealthLine team also maintains a database of qualified Primary and Allied Health providers across NSW, so they can connect you with services in which you can be confident.

Feedback on the HealthLine in the latest Parkinson’s NSW Consumer Satisfaction Survey was very positive.

A diverse range of people call the HealthLine including:

  • The general community
  • General Practitioners
  • Directors of nursing (DON)
  • Nurses
  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologists
  • Social workers
  • Podiatrists
  • Educators
  • Other Allied Health professionals

Examples of questions from consumers to the HealthLine include:

  • Do you think I have Parkinson’s?
  • I’ve just been diagnosed…
  • My doctor says I have PSP… what’s that?
  • I’m having a panic attack and need to talk to someone!
  • I want to talk about Parkinson’s and my job…
  • My partner/parent is going into a nursing home…
  • I’m not happy with my partner’s/parent’s nursing home…

Some of what others have to say about the HealthLine

“THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ADVICE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. YOU ARE AMAZING” – JANET

“THE INFOLINE TEAM IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HELPFUL, SUPPORTING ME AS I CARE FOR MY CLIENT AND THEIR FAMILY. IT HAS BEEN A VERY COMFORTING AND POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. DO NOT LOOK ON THE INTERNET FOR INFORMATION, GIVE THE INFOLINE A CALL” – LEONA, ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL

“WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS NOT VERY WELL IN A SYDNEY HOSPITAL AND I WAS AT HOME, I WAS VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT I RECEIVED FROM ONE OF THE INFOLINE NURSES. SHE WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND AND GAVE FANTASTIC ADVICE WHICH I FOUND VERY HELPFUL. IT MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO MY HUSBAND’S RECOVERY.” NAME WITHHELD

“IT WAS A GREAT RELIEF TO SPEAK WITH YOU ON THE INFOLINE TODAY. YOUR KINDNESS AND PROFESSIONALISM WERE EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED. NOW I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO DEAL WITH OUR FRACTURED NEW REALITY.” JO, PARTNER OF A NEWLY DIAGNOSED PERSON LIVING WITH PARKINSON’S

HealthLine Parkinson’s Registered Nurses and other specialist health care team members are available on 1800 644 189 Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

In addition to being able to connect you with vetted Primary and Allied Health providers, they can also refer you to Parkinson’s NSW Counsellors and the Connect Team which offers NDIS Advocacy and Support Coordination.