Calling 811 puts you in touch with a registered nurse who can assess your condition and give you advice on non-emergency health issues. Anyone living in the NWT can call 811 from a landline or cell phone. or if hearing impaired, Canada Video Relay Service (VRS). This confidential quick access service is also available in all official languages ​​of the territory. 811 has proven to be an effective way to bring peace of mind to residents, especially in remote settings, when they need quick answers and clarity on general health questions. Callers can also ask about communicable diseases, including influenza, COVID, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, and how and when to get tested. Residents with urgent medical concerns should continue to use the 911 emergency response line. Callers can request to remain anonymous while accessing health information. In addition to GNWT privacy oversight, 811 service providers have adopted industry best practices in managing confidential and sensitive health information to ensure the safety and security of resident information. All 811 nursing providers are licensed to work in the NWT and have completed cultural safety training as part of the GNWT’s commitment to providing high quality medical advice without discrimination. 811 operators will also be able to direct calls to other health and family support resources, such as the Poison Control Line, Mental Health Services, Quitline and Native Residential Schools Resolution. Any concerns, questions or comments regarding the NWT 811 Healthline can be emailed to: [email protected] If residents experience a problem when trying to connect directly to 811, they can contact their telephone service provider to request a fix. Anyone who cannot connect directly to 811 can access the service by calling the toll-free number at 1-844-259-1793.

Quote(s)

“The NWT 811 Health Advice Line is a quick way to get non-urgent medical advice on general health issues. It’s not meant to replace seeing a nurse or doctor, but it can help you know when you can manage your symptoms at home and when you need to seek additional medical help. With this new initiative, the GNWT joins every other province and territory in Canada by offering residents a trusted source of medical information available any time of the day or night from a place that’s convenient for them. 911 will continue to be the first choice for emergencies.” – Julie Green, Minister for Health and Social Services

Quick facts

811 often helps avoid a trip to a medical clinic or emergency room which can help reduce the spread of communicable diseases like COVID-19. 811 registered nurses have received specialized training in telephone counseling using clinical algorithms such as Schmitt-Thompson, which are used in 95% of telephone health counseling centers worldwide. An 811 call takes 12 to 16 minutes on average, and all information is stored electronically in a secure environment with access only to registered nurses. You can also contact the toll-free NWT 811 Health Advice Line by calling: 1 (844) 259-1793 if you are using Canada VRS for the deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired. or if Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) users want to use the service. The service is available in all official NWT languages. Residents will not be able to connect to 811 if they have Wi-Fi calling enabled in their device settings. Companies with a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone system should program the system to allow outside 811 calls.

For media requests, please contact: Jeremy Gibson BirdManager, Communications Department of Health and Social ServicesGovernment of the Northwest Territories(867) 767-9052 ext. 49034