Health Links

Auckland DHB Region – 0800 800 717
Middlemore DHB Region – 09 261 3700
West Auckland – 09 822 8501 (ask for crisis team)
North Shore – 09 487 1414 or 09 486 8900 after hours (ask for crisis north team)

Ear, Nose, Throat and Breathing

Nasal Spray Technique – Allergy sprays like fluticasone (flixonase) and budesonide (alanase) are the best treatment for hayfever but they only work if you use them correctly.

Symbicort Inhaler Technique – Learn the correct technique, most people do it wrong (including doctors and nurses)

Sinus irrigation – Our adapted guide

Asthma and Respiratory Foundation – Lots of great resources for asthma, COPD and other breathing problems

Asthma New Zealand – Will visit people with asthma and COPD for education.

ASCIA – All about allergy

My asthma app – New Zealand asthma action plan app. For android and iOS. See review.

Epley Maneuver – Good video on how to do the epley maneuver for BPPV.

Cancer

Mammograms – Mammograms have been shown to reduce death from breast cancer among women aged over 50. In New Zealand it is free from ages 45-69, the frequency is dependent on previous results, but is normally every two years.

Cervical Cancer Screening – Cervical cancer screening has been shown to reduce death from cervical cancer. In New Zealand it is recommended from ages 20-70, the frequency is dependent on previous results and is normally every 1-3 years. If you are eligible we recommend getting the Gardasil vaccine which protects you from many strains of cancer causing HPV, but you should still have screening if you’ve had the vaccine.

Bowel Cancer Screening – Colon cancer screening has been shown to reduce death from colon cancer over the age of 50. Unfortunately it is very expensive, and the process is currently only funded as a pilot programme if you are a resident in Waitakere. It looks like a national screening programme will be slowly rolled out over several years see here

Prostate Cancer Screening – See in picture form the risks and benefits of screening. Note, this is not part of a national screening programme as it has not been shown to overall meaningfully reduce death from prostate cancer, and therefore many experts no longer recommend this test due to the harms including the cochrane group. A very large recent study has also shown no benefit even in younger men. However it is up to you whether you want to be tested and we can discuss this with you and offer testing if this is what you desire.

Pinc and Steel – Physiotherapy service for cancer sufferers, subsidised or free through charity.

Cancer Society – Supports all patients with any type of cancer

National Cancer Institute – Good US website all about cancer.

Please remember, the term screening screening is for when you test for a disease (like cancer) when you don’t have symptoms.

Child Health

Our Calculators – Paracetamol and ibuprofen dose calculations for children and advice about fevers.

Purple Crying – Useful information for babies that cry a lot. KidsHealth resources on managing crying in babies, and information on what happens if a baby is shaken.

Crying Over Spilt Milk – Another helpful website about crying and spilling in babies

Blog on pregnancy and baby care written by a paediatrician.

Introducing solids – Information on introducing solids for babies to prevent food allergies

250k an allergy awareness project – Hub for young people living with allergies

Picky Eating – There is a lot of inaccurate information out there. This is our handout for caregivers of picky eaters.

Auckland Regional Dental Service – Get your child their free dental care (under 18s) or call 0800 TALK TEETH.

Kid’s Health – Children’s health information

Incredible Years – A parenting course programme shown to lead to sustained improvement in child and family functioning. Offered through Family Works and the Auckland Kindergarten Association.

Information on parenting advice for newborns all the way to teenagers

Growth – Monitor your child’s growth (growth charts), and check if they are overweight (“BMI percentile,” the preferred method)

Learn to swallow pills – Great evidence-based video to learn to swallow pills. Also helpful for adults who struggle.

Well Child App – Health and education tool for caregivers of children 0-5. Has android and apple versions.

Chronic Pain (long-standing/stubborn pain)

Courses

Paintrainer – a very good evidence base course that teaching pain coping skills

Retrain Pain – Online pain lessons

Curable – a chronic pain app especially for people with previous trauma, using expression as therapy. Full version has a subscription cost.

Neuroplastix – Change your brian

General

Pain Science – Great accurate articles about chronic pain

Pain Toolkit – Self management of chronic pain. Or see their website for more information

Chronic pain in 5 minutes – Short and sweet video

Arthritis New Zealand – Will visit people in their homes to provide in-depth education and support when needed. For people with moderate to severe arthritis and those waiting for joint replacements

Services

TARPS – chronic pain specialists (public for ADHB)

Middlemore Chronic Pain Service

ACC also fund chronic pain management programmes in the community for certain injuries

Dental

Relief of Pain Clinics – Low cost emergency tooth extractions

Elderly

Age Concern – Offers support and a wide range of services for elderly.

Senior Line – Information for older people to make decisions about staying at home, retirement villages, homecare, day care and rest homes

Family Violence

Healthify page of support services

Shine – Direct help for victims of domestic violence

Shakti – Domestic violence support for those of Asian, African and Middle-Eastern origin

Are you OK? – General support and information, including a helpline 0800 456 450

Women’s refuge

Male survivors – Tautoko Tane – Support for male survivors of sexual abuse. Safe to Talk also supports male survivors. MENZ has a list of support groups for male victims of domestic violence.

Mental Health

Support Services

Mental Health Crisis Lines (24/7 mental health crisis support)

Auckland DHB Region – 0800 800 717
Middlemore DHB Region – 09 261 3700
West Auckland – 09 822 8501 (ask for crisis team)
North Shore – 09 487 1414 or 09 486 8900 after hours (ask for crisis north team)

Man Alive – Men and boys support group and counselling, promoting positive manhood

Youthline – Helpline 0800 37 66 33, or Free Text: 234

Lifeline – Lifeline 24/7 Helpline 0800 543 354 or 09 522 2999

Skylight – Grief Support

Findsupport – ACC site, helping you find the support you need following sexual violence, in your time, on your terms.

Vagus Centre – Chinese Counselling Service

Courses

Just a Thought – an evidence based online cognitive behavioural therapy programme.

CALM – computer assisted learning for the mind, which includes guided meditation

Greater Good in Action – Research-based methods for a happier, more fulfilling life. For example the course of Best Possible Self.

Sparx – An online computer game that helps young people learn skills to deal with feeling down, depressed or stressed

General

Depression.org.nz – John Kerwin’s site

The lowdown – Straight up answers for when life sucks

Mental Health Awareness Week – Five ways to wellbeing

Centre for Clinical Interventions Australia – Great self help resources on a variety of problems.

Men’s Health

Wise Guys – Men’s refuge and community housing. There is also the City Mission, and Salvation Army

Man Alive – Counselling services and programmes for strengthening relationships with others.

Men’s Shed – Bringing men together in community spaces to work on individual or community projects and learn new skills.

Health Navigator

Male Survivor – Sexual abuse support.

Better Blokes – Peer support for sexual abuse.

Essentially Men – Men supporting each other.

Neurological Conditions

Alzheimer’s NZ

Carers NZ

Epilepsy New Zealand

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society NZ

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association NZ

Parkinson’s NZ

Stroke Foundation of NZ

Functional Neurology – Read about conditions where there is a problem with the FUNCTIONING of the nervous system (rather than disease)

Migraine Buddy – Good app for keeping a migraine diary. For android and iOS. See review.

Epilepsy Journal – Good app for keeping an epilepsy diary. For android only. See review.

Sexual Health

Family Planning – Low cost contraception services

Auckland Sexual Health Society – Auckland Sexual Health Clinics

New Zealand Herpes Foundation – Accurate information on herpes

New Zealand AIDS Foundation – Information on HIV and AIDS

Sexual Assault – Specialist service

Rape Crisis – National call line on 0800 88 33 00

Skin Health

Dermnet – World-renowned website about skin that is written by a New Zealand Dermatologist

Recurrent Skin Infections Decolonisation – We might recommend you decolonise your skin if you are getting frequent skin infections. This is our guide.

Bleach Baths – How to make up a bleach bath for eczema and prevention of skin infections.

Insect bite rashes (papular urticaria) – Our summarised information. Also read more about flea eradication here

Self Skin Examination – Learn how to do self skin examination

Sleep trouble/insomnia

Twenty Winks questionnaire – 20 questions to base recommendations on

The Insomnia guide – accurate article about insomnia treatment

Our guide to insomnia treatment – Learn about non-drug treatments which are far more effective than medication.

CBT-i Coach – Free evidence based app designed to improve your sleep using cognitive behavioural therapy and sleep restriction therapy. For android and iOS. See review.

Sleepio – Evidence based online sleep improvement course using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Costs money.

MySleepWell – A free resource from Canada with loads of fantastic information on how to improve your sleep.

SnoreGym – an evidence based throat exercise app to reduce snoring

STOPBANG – questions to determine the likelihood that you have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Stomach troubles

Low FODMAP diet – The most comprehensive source for information on the low FODMAP diet for irritable bowel syndrome. There is a very good paid app (android or iOS) available, too. See review.

Healthy Food Guide information and advice about FODMAPs.

A good book about FODMAPs and irritable bowel is available free to loan from Auckland City Libraries

Stopping Smoking

ProCare Stop Smoking – Four week, face-to-face programme to help stop smoking

Women’s Health

Pregnancy

How to find a midwife – either through the community or through the hospital

Pregnancy screening and other advice – Ministry of Health website

Positively Pregnant – helps you stay happy and healthy

Screening

Mammograms – Mammograms have been shown to reduce death from breast cancer among women aged over 50. In New Zealand it is free from ages 45-69, generally every two years.

Menopause

Menopause Matters – Evidence based information (UK based)

Australian Menopause Society – Many helpful factsheets and videos (Australian based)

Pelvic Floor

Pelvic Pain Foundation – Pelvic floor stretches

Squeezy – a highly rated paid app for pelvic floor strengthening

Hours