National Poisons Centre continues to deliver Poisonsline

Friday 19 June 2015

Staff at the National Poisons Centre based at the University of Otago are delighted to learn that the Ministry of Health has chosen Homecare Medical as the preferred provider for the National Telehealth Service.

“The National Poisons Centre looks forward to working with Homecare Medical, as the lead provider, to continue to deliver the national Poisonsline based in Dunedin,” says NPC Director Dr Wayne Temple.

“Both organisations share the same values when it comes to health care delivery and believe that this partnership will be of greater benefit to the New Zealand public.”

Homecare Medical will also be responsible for delivering Healthline, Immunisation Advice, Quitline, and the three helplines for Depression, Gambling, and Alcohol and Drugs. The National Poisons Centre will continue to deliver the Poisonsline service from Dunedin.

The NPC, based in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine at the University of Otago, has been providing the New Zealand public and health-care professionals with poisons advice for more than 50 years.

Partnering with Homecare Medical will ensure that “every door is the right door” for the people in New Zealand seeking health advice.

“This partnership will only serve to enhance the Poisonsline Service, as the NPC will be supported by Homecare Medical in its service delivery. Greater access for patients and seamless inter-service referrals are just a couple of the benefits that will arise from the partnership,” adds Dr Temple.

“I’m very pleased that people involved in this project have recognised the merit in retaining the National Poisons Centre.”

The NPC currently handles approximately 35,000 poisoning enquires every year. It also maintains a poisons information database called TOXINZ. The NPC will continue to operate 24/7 and can be contacted by calling 0800 POISON / 0800 764-766.

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