Community services

All patients are able to receive a normal range of dental care from their usual provider.

Community Oral Health Services for children aged 0-12 years are open. Oral Health team: Otago 0800 672 543, and Southland 0800 570 300. Please wear a mask and sign in or use the QR code on arrival.  You will be contacted the day prior to your appointment and asked our standard covid screening questions, if you or your child have any illnesses, including Covid symptoms, we will defer your appointment until you are well. We are strictly maintaining a safe environment, all staff are vaccinated and will be wearing PPE.  We would prefer that only one supporter attends with their child if possible.  

For adults in the Southern region, please contact your usual provider. 

General Practices in the Southern region are open. People should call if they need health care. If you would ordinarily call your doctor, call your doctor.

Pharmacies are open. Please check opening times, as they may be different to usual.

To find a list of collection centres and their opening hours, please go to the SCLABS website. Please do not attend if you have cold or flu like symptoms.

The district nursing service are now providing a full range of services with home visits and clinic recommencing.  Referrals are being accepted as normal.  To maintain patient and staff safety, there may be some changes to how some services are delivered. 

Home and Community Support Services are progressively returning to providing a full range of services. Clients will be contacted by the provider. To maintain patient and staff safety, there may be some changes to how some services are delivered.  

Home Team

The Home Team are providing all services to patients in the community. Referrals continue to be accepted through 0800 734 246. There may be some changes to the way services are delivered to accommodate changes in the traffic light system. 

Community Rehabilitation Services 

Community Rehabilitation Services are accepting referrals and continuing provision of care.  To accommodate the requirements of the traffic light system and maintain patient and staff safety, there may be some changes to how some services are delivered. We will keep our patients informed if there are any changes to services or schedules.  

Hospice services continue to be delivered through Otago and Southland. Inpatient and community services are running largely as normal. Access to advice and support is available 24/7 (Otago 0800 473 6005 and Southland 0800 211 308) and is not limited to patients known to the Hospice. 

The Meals on Wheels services are being delivered as usual. Clients should have a good back up plan just in case a meal doesn’t make it to its destination. 

All Occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dietetic and speech language therapy services in the community, are functioning as per usual. All patients will undergo a COVID screen prior to a visit taking place. Equipment will be delivered to patients homes and installed where possible. In some instances there may be contactless delivery.

Dunedin and Southland sexual health clinics are open. Patients are asked to contact the clinic to arrange a consultation. There are no drop in clinics available. 

Dunedin Clinic: 
Open Monday 8.30am - 6.00pm 
Tuesday to Friday 8.30am – 4pm 
Phone 0800 742 546 ext 1 

Invercargill clinic: 
Open Monday 9am -6pm 
Tuesday -Friday 9am- 4.30pm 
Phone 0800 742 546 ext 2 

Youth health & wellbeing, sexual health & contraception
This service is available. Please contact your public health nurse or email:  publichealthnursing@southerndhb.govt.nz

Public health nursing services are available to schools and families for child and youth health. Please contact: publichealthnursing@southerndhb.govt.nz

This service is available and bookings can be made by free phone text 0800 247224