OSHCstudents – Feeling unwell? Find out where to go, who to call, and what your options are when you or your family are sick.
It’s easy to take our health for granted, which means that if we get sick or become injured, it can be confusing to know where to go and who to call.
If you, or someone around you, needs medical help, the first thing to do is assess whether it’s an emergency.
How do I know if it’s an emergency?
An emergency is generally considered as an unplanned event where you need medical treatment immediately.
Examples of medical situations that could require emergency treatment include:
- Chest pain or tightness
- Sudden weakness, numbness or any sort of paralysis
- Loss of consciousness
- Breathing difficulties
- Suddenly collapsing or unexplained seizures
- Infants with ongoing fever
- Severe burns
- Uncontrollable bleeding
- Injury from a major accident
If you have an emergency, please call 000 immediately.
What situations are less-urgent?
While it’s easy to panic when it comes to our health, there are some health issues that aren’t considered an emergency.
Some examples include:
- Common colds, flu, infections and viruses
- General checkups
- Referrals to other specialists if required
Your general practitioner (GP) is the best person to see if you get sick and it’s not an emergency.
What do I do if I’m not sure?
If you’re not sure, it’s better to treat it as an emergency. If you need more advice about your health issue, you could also:
- See a GP
- Visit www.healthdirect.gov.au
- Call the Australian Government’s health advice line on 1800 022 222
- Contact Nurse-On-Call (Victoria only)
If it’s a mental health issue, you can also call LifeLine on 13 11 14.
You are international students or foreigners arrive to Australia, or Australian citizens traveling abroad who are looking for OSHC, OVHC, travel insurance, please contact OSHCstudents Team at email: info@oshcstudents.com and our partners for further information and assistance.
OSHCstudents (source: Bupa)
