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.
Procare
ProCare is a New Zealand health and wellbeing organisation working with healthcare professionals and general practice. It provides community-based services and support across primary care, especially in Auckland and Northland.
View Website 09 377 7827 Send Email
Rare Disorders NZ
Rare Disorders NZ is the collective voice for people and whānau living with rare disorders. They advocate for better health, disability, education and support systems, and connect people with disorder-specific support groups and resources.
View Website 0800 727 369 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Raukura Hauora o Tainui
Raukura Hauora o Tainui is a kaupapa Māori health and wellbeing provider offering clinical, community, whānau ora and disability support services. They provide culturally grounded support, navigation and wellbeing services that sit alongside medical and community care.
View Website 0800 472 858 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Reid Technology
Reid Technology’s Hearing and Healthcare division supplies audiology and specialist healthcare products in New Zealand. The company says its Hearing and Healthcare team was established in 1980 and supplies products including clinical hearing products, assistive listening devices, telephones, and alarms.
View Website 09 489 8100 ext 1 Send Email
Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa
Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (formerly known as Family Planning) is New Zealand’s largest provider of sexual and reproductive health services. It offers clinics, education, advice, and resources across Aotearoa.
View Website 04 384 4349 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Starship Child Health
Starship Child Health is New Zealand’s national children’s hospital and a major teaching and research centre based in Auckland. It provides a wide range of complex medical, surgical, cardiac, and mental health services for children and young people from across New Zealand and the South Pacific, with care delivered in inpatient, outpatient, day-stay, and community settings.
View Website 0800 728 436 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Starship Family Information Service
Starship’s Family Information Service provides families, whānau and caregivers with free, up-to-date, easy-to-read health information about children’s medical conditions and disabilities. It can also help with information about hospitalisation, support groups, coping with illness or bereavement, parenting issues connected with health conditions, and mental health concerns.
View Website 09 367 0000 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Starship Foundation
Starship Foundation raises funds to help give children access to world-class healthcare through Starship Child Health. It supports equipment, research, family support, staff training, and projects that improve outcomes for children and young people from across Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific.
View Website 09 307 4957 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand
Stroke Aotearoa supports stroke prevention, recovery and life after stroke through information, helplines, Community Stroke Navigators and public health education. They also promote the F.A.S.T. message, provide stroke resources, and support stroke survivors, families, whānau and carers.
View Website 0800 459 954 Send EmailFacebook Instagram
The Cause Collective
The Cause Collective is a South Auckland community organisation working to improve health, social, economic and environmental wellbeing for Pacific peoples, underserved populations and local communities. It develops and coordinates health and community initiatives, builds workforce and organisational capability, and works with communities and service providers to address complex barriers to wellbeing.
View Website 09 869 2433 Send EmailFacebook Instagram