Health support and services for disabled people
Disabled people and their families use many different health services at different times in their lives.
Health support
Health support is mainly about treating illness, injury, or medical conditions. Health services help when something is wrong or when you need medical care.
Health support can include:
- Visits to your GP or nurse
- Hospital care and emergency services
- Seeing specialists
- Mental health services
- Therapy prescribed for medical reasons (like physiotherapy after an injury)
Health services are usually short-term or focused on treatment. The goal is to help you recover, manage symptoms, or stay medically well.
Many disabled people use both health and disability supports at the same time. For example, you might see a doctor for your health needs and also receive disability support to help you at home or in the community.
Sometimes it can be confusing to know which service to contact. Health support focuses on medical care, while disability support focuses on living well with a disability. Disability Connect can help explain these differences and show you where to go for support.
Below we share a list of links to health organisations that disabled people often use. This includes GPs, hospitals, specialists, therapists and community health services. These services can help with everyday health needs, long-term conditions, mental wellbeing, and recovery after illness or injury.
Cystic Fibrosis NZ
Cystic Fibrosis NZ is the national charity supporting people with cystic fibrosis and their families throughout Aotearoa. It provides advocacy, information, practical support, and social work support for people living with CF, including direct community support contacts around the country.
View Website 0800 651 122 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Deaf Aotearoa NZ
Deaf Aotearoa represents the voice and interests of Deaf people and provides services throughout New Zealand. Its work includes information, employment and community support, Deaf awareness, promotion of New Zealand Sign Language and advocacy for language and accessibility rights.
View Website 0800 332 322 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Dual Disability
The Regional Dual Disability Service in Counties Manukau supports people with both intellectual disability and mental health needs. It is part of specialist mental health services in South Auckland.
View Website 09 261 3700 Send Email
Explore Hāpainga Ora
Explore Wellbeing provides specialist disability and mental health services across New Zealand, including autism support, behaviour support, community disability and mental health services, and deaf support, individualised funding support and wheelchair assessment.
View Website 0800 397 288 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Headway
Headway is Auckland’s concussion and brain injury charity, supporting people and whānau through information, education, advocacy, navigation, and connection. It also runs Connect Groups and works to improve public understanding and outcomes for people affected by concussion and brain injury.
View Website 09 520 4807 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Health New Zealand – Auckland (South and East)
Health New Zealand – Auckland (South and East) - formerly Counties Manukau District Health Board - provides hospital and health services across South and East Auckland.
View Website 09 276 0044 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Health New Zealand – Te Toka Tumai Auckland
Health New Zealand – Te Toka Tumai Auckland (formerly Auckland DHB) provides hospital and specialist health services across central Auckland.
View Website 09 367 0000 Health NZ – Waitematā | Auckland
Health New Zealand – Waitematā | Auckland - formerly Waitematā District Health Board - provides hospital and health services across North and West Auckland.
View Website 09 486 1491Facebook Instagram
HealthCare NZ
HealthCare NZ is a national provider of home and community-based support, including disability support, respite, rehabilitation, and in-home care. It positions itself as New Zealand’s largest healthcare company and provides support across all ages, including in-home respite services. As part of the wider New Zealand Health Group, their services sit alongside Individualised Funding support options that help disabled people access more flexible, person-directed support.
View Website 0800 002 722 Send Email
Healthify NZ – He Puna Waiora
Healthify NZ - He Puna Waiora is an independent New Zealand health information website run by the Health Navigator Charitable Trust. It provides trusted health topics, medicine information, self-care resources, and wellbeing information
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