Rural and remote Northern Territory

There are around 250,000 people living in the Northern Territory (NT).

The term 'rural and remote' covers all areas in the NT outside the major cities.

Most of the NT is seen as remote or very remote, except for Darwin and nearby Palmerston. Many people live on cattle stations, in mining towns or in Aboriginal Communities.

What types of health services are available?

Use the healthdirect Service Finder to find your nearest health services. It includes:

• GPs
• dentists
• pharmacies
• hospitals
• opticians
• psychologists

Health services are not always easy to find if you live in rural and remote areas. Some communities don't have easy access to hospitals or doctors.

Services are provided at health clinics and primary health care sites located in regional and remote areas of the NT.

The NT Government has information about the services available in different health areas.

You can often learn about health services by going to community centres or talking to local people.

If a service is not offered where you live, you may be eligible for the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme (PATS).

Hospitals

In the NT there are 6 public hospitals and one private hospital.

The main public hospitals are in Darwin and Alice Springs. There are also smaller public hospitals in Nhulunbuy (called Gove), Katherine and Tennant Creek.

Specialist outreach services

Specialist outreach services are available to people in remote NT with visiting doctors, care at hospitals and telehealth appointments. Find out when your next specialist service is visiting. You might need a referral from a GP so it's good to try and see one beforehand.

Remote area nurses provide important health care in the NT. Nurse practitioners are nurses with extra training. They can help in emergencies, make diagnoses and prescribe medicine.

Mental health and wellbeing

Services to help you keep in good mental health include:

• The NT Mental Health Line (1800 682 288) — this is a great place to start
• Central Australia
• Top End
• 24-hour mental health hotlines
• 13YARN — to connect with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander crisis supporter

Find out about other organisations with mental health helplines.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service provides alcohol and other drugs prevention and rehabilitation services.

Learn more about drugs and alcohol.

Dental care

Living in rural and remote areas can make it harder to visit a dental practitioner.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service offers a mobile dental service to people living in rural and remote NT.

Learn more about dental health.

Emergency assistance

In Australia, the state and territory ambulance services manage air ambulance services. They also team up with groups like CareFlight and the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Some states and territories might have their own air ambulances.

Hospitals provide urgent after-hours care in some regions.

Emergency services are available to people in rural and remote NT by:

• CareFlight NT — operates a 24-hour emergency flight service for the Top End
• The Royal Flying Doctor Service — provides emergency flights for Central Australia and Darwin

You can find more contacts for emergency help on the need help now page.

Virtual care or telehealth

Telehealth helps patients in remote areas contact specialist services in bigger medical centres through phone and video calls.

Telehealth can sometimes reduce the need for you to travel to an appointment.

In Central Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service offers:

• telehealth
• outreach services
• medical chests

Medical chests have medical and non-medical items that can help treat people in remote areas.

My Health Record

My Health Record is a secure online summary of your health information. You and your healthcare professionals can add details to your record.

This improves communication between the people looking after you.

You can do this online learning module to help you understand your My Health Record.

Health services and support across your life-course in NT

There are many online and telephone support services to help at different times in your life.

Healthcare for babies and toddlers

The NT Government has information on pregnancy, birthing and child health.

Read about maternity services in remote NT.

If you are pregnant, or a parent of a young child, call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

Healthcare for children

Kids Helpline — offers telephone and online counselling for young people aged 5 to 25 years, call 1800 55 1800.

Healthcare for teenagers

Headspace provides mental health support for people aged 12 to 25 years. You can:

• visit their website
• call them on 1800 650 890
• make an appointment at your closest headspace centre

Kids Helpline offers phone and online counselling for people aged up to 25 years, call 1800 55 1800.

ReachOut.com is a youth mental health service. Visit their website for online help.

Learn more about sexual health.

Healthcare for older people

You can learn about aged care services on the My Aged Care website. You can also call them on 1800 200 422.

Carers NT provide support if you are caring for someone.

Call the Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 if you are worried about an older person's mental health.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples' health

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people make up about 1 in 3 people living in the NT. There are many small Aboriginal Communities in the NT.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health workers and doctors support people with medical care, as well as providing health education.

City hospitals have Indigenous liaison workers to help Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients while they are in hospital.

Culturally responsive services are available through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations.

Find an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) near you.

The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) is the peak body for ACCHOs in the NT.

Farming communities

Accidents often happen in farming communities. These can impact both workers and their children.

The National Centre for Farmer Health has information on health and wellbeing.

Staying healthy

Taking care of your mental and physical health is important. Find out more about how to keep healthy.

Travelling to health services

The Patient Assistance Travel Scheme (PATS) may help pay for some travel and accommodation costs.

It can help cover your:

• return fares to and from appointments
• accommodation
• public transport — taxis and buses
• private vehicle use

If you need help, talk to your local health service, Aboriginal health worker or closest hospital.

Resources and support

Learn more about health and wellbeing services offered in the NT.

Read about remote health in the NT.

BushTel has information about remote communities in the NT to help with planning and informed decisions.

Learn more about the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme (PATS).

The Carer Gateway provides services and support for carers.

NTcommunity has a directory of community services for mental health and suicide prevention.

Find out more about rural and remote health.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.