Hospitals and specialists who are dealing with your illness or injury will refer you to the most suitable support networks for your condition.??

As well, most illnesses and conditions have major support organisations connected to them offering many services and sometimes financial help which may be available to you.??

For information on the major illness organisations refer to the Links section and contact them directly.

Community Health Centres

Aim to keep people and families in better health with management programs to improve health and wellbeing aimed at taking the pressure off the acute care health system. The centres offer a wide range of services including medical and nursing help, dental care, counselling, rehabilitation and outreach services such as carer respite. Services are either free or at heavily reduced rates so check with your nearest centre to see what is available.

Your local pharmacist or doctor will be able to tell you what might be suitable for you or check in the Government section of the telephone directory.

Mental health services

Which assess and treat people with serious mental illness, including those experiencing a psychiatric crisis, are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Phone your nearest hospital and ask for the Psychiatric department where a mobile help team also known as a Crisis Team can make home visits.

• SANE Helpline 1800 18 SANE (7263) for details of support groups and other services.
• Centrelink will provide details of benefits and services for family carers as well as for people with a mental illness. www.centrelink.gov.au
• Lifeline Phone: 13 11 14

Advance Care Plans

Advance care planning allows a patient to clearly state their health care wishes and goals at the end of life in consultation with health care providers and family members. ??A written Advance Care Plan says what life-prolonging medical treatment people want and don’t want in the future if they are unable to express their wishes. This is so their doctor and family will know exactly what their choices are.

In Australia euthanasia is illegal but Advanced Care Plans in most states can allow terminally ill patients to refuse resuscitation, ventilation, artificial feeding and hydration.??

There is no legislation or national policy on advanced care planning and each state and territory has different laws about what patients can request. In most states doctors aren’t legally bound to honour a patient's request so be aware families can request that doctors don’t follow an Advanced Care Plan agreement.

Advanced Care Plans are made by:

1. Appointing a Medical Enduring Power of Attorney and informing them of your wishes and/or providing them with documented choices.
2. Documenting your Statement of Choices and leaving copies with your family, doctor or health care manager.
3. Completing a Refusal of Treatment Certificate (in some states)

For more information on Advanced Care Plan requirements in each state, look at the Royal College of General Practitioners website and their fact sheets and guidelines.

http://www.racgp.org.au or Care search http://www.caresearch.com.au

Please refer to Revoking an Advance Care Plan under Power of Attorney in the Legal section.

Medi-list

It’s a good idea to have a Medi-list form which is available from your pharmacist or Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre to list all the drugs you take, when to take them and the dosages. The pharmacist can help you fill the Medi-list out and keep it up to date. Take it each time you visit a health professional and it should save a lot of time.

National Prescribing Service

Pprovides information on the safe and correct use of medicines including prescription, non-prescription and complementary. The NPS website provides many resources about the medicines you may be using and the Medimate section has advice about keeping healthy with and without medicines, how to use medicines safely and using multiple medicines safely. NPS also provides a phone in service where you can speak with a pharmacist if you are concerned about your medication.
Phone: 1300 888 763
www.nps.org.au

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

Iis a Government program which provides subsidised medicines at reduced prices. Not every medicine is available under this scheme but the PBS website lists which ones are and gives information about them.?
Freecall: 1800 0202 613

Medicare

Ensures that all Australians have access to free or low-cost medical, optical and hospital care.?
Phone: 13 20 11 (local call cost).

Angel Flight Australia

Coordinates non emergency flights for financially and medically needy people. All flights are free and may involve patients or compassionate carers travelling to or from medical facilities.
Phone: 1300 726 567