Victorians now have a new resource to guide them in choosing the right health care, thanks to a multilingual information sheet released by Ambulance Victoria.
The General Health Information Sheet, available in 17 languages, sets out clearly who to call when health assistance is needed. Languages include Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Dari, English, Greek, Hazaragi, Hindi, Italian, Karen, Macedonian, Pashto, Persian, Punjabi, Swahili, Tigrinya and Vietnamese.
Ambulance Victoria Acting Metropolitan Regional Improvement Lead Brad Gin said the resource was designed to make decision-making simpler for families facing health concerns. “The General Health Information Sheet provides a guide to help Victorians decide the best care option for themselves and their loved ones,” he said.
“The first section shows a range of immediate, potentially life-threatening emergencies, with graphics to help people identify if their symptoms fall into this category. If they do, the advice is simple: call Triple Zero (000).”
For other symptoms, the sheet directs people to options such as Urgent Care Clinics, the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, Nurse-on-Call, GPs and pharmacists. It also features a section where families can write down contact details for local providers, alongside phone numbers for crisis and support lines.
Brad said the sheet would support conversations paramedics already have with patients. “Paramedics can now provide a consistent, standardised written resource that patients and their families can easily refer to after paramedics have left and serves as a helpful guide they can keep for future use,” he said.
The sheet is given to patients who are assessed as safe to stay at home rather than being taken to hospital, offering clear advice on what to do if their condition worsens. “It also helps paramedics clearly communicate who to contact for urgent support and which symptoms to watch for in case they need to call an ambulance again,” Brad said.
Ambulance Victoria has expanded its translated resources in recent years, covering emergency, non-emergency and membership information, as well as COVID-19 advice and life-saving instructions such as Call, Push, Shock. The new health sheet builds on that work, aiming to ensure more Victorians can get the right help when they need it.
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