0800 11 12 13 - the Covid-19 Disability Helpline started off as a vaccination helpline. Their services have extended, now including offering assistance for when a support worker is unavailable to provide for a person's urgent needs.

The Covid-19 disability helpline can provide assistance with:

  • vaccines
  • applying for face mask exemptions
  • advice on Covid-19 testing
  • guidance with managing Covid-19 at home
  • backup if a support worker is unavailable to provide for a person’s urgent needs.

The helpline is open 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. From 8am-8pm a person with experience or knowledge of disability will answer the call and assess the urgency of your situation and provide advice or assistance. After 8pm calls will be answered by a trained member of the Healthline team.

The disability helpline is provided by Whakarongorau, a telehealth provider that manages several support phone lines including Healthline.  

  • Call 0800 11 12 13
  • Free text 8988

Extended service - backup when support worker unavailable to provide for urgent needs

This Disability helpline service has now been extended to provide a response for disabled people who require urgent support and whose support workers are unavailable through their home and community support provider during the pandemic.

If a support worker is unavailable to provide for a person’s urgent needs, the 0800 11 12 13 (disability line) will offer an essential backup service by connecting people to appropriate assistance where possible.

The Call Centre will work with the person/whānau to determine what needs to happen, how urgent the situation is and if medical or other emergency services are needed.

People are always encouraged to contact their service provider directly in the first instance to confirm when they will arrive. However, in urgent cases that do not require medical intervention, the Call Centre can also help the person follow up with their service provider if they have been unable to contact them.

Whakarongorau has a service directory of provider numbers to call. If it is determined that medical intervention may be required, this will be discussed with the caller, and transferred to a Healthline clinician to manage.