If you’re worried about your health, you don’t always need to go straight to an emergency department. There are several free services that can help you work out where to go and what to do next.

Emergency

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or has a life-threatening illness or injury, call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Need health advice?

Healthdirect
Call 1800 022 222 to speak with a registered nurse for health advice, including help deciding where to seek care. Available 24/7.

Nurse-on-Call
For people in Victoria, call 1300 60 60 24 to speak with a registered nurse for immediate health advice, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Need urgent care but it isn't life-threatening?

Victorian Virtual Emergency Department
A free, 24/7 service for people in Victoria with urgent health concerns that aren't life-threatening. You can speak with an emergency doctor or nurse by video from home.

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics
For urgent illnesses or injuries that need attention but aren't life-threatening and can't wait for a regular GP appointment. Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are bulk billed and can be accessed without a GP referral.

Other support

1800MEDICARE
Call 1800 633 422 for help navigating Australia's health system and finding appropriate health services.

If you're not sure what kind of help you need, starting with your GP or calling Healthdirect is okay. You don't need to have everything figured out before asking for help.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000. These resources are provided for general information and are not a substitute for emergency care or individual medical advice.

If you’re worried about your own eating, or about someone you care about, these organisations have information about eating disorders, disordered eating and getting support.

Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV)
Information, resources and support for Victorians affected by eating disorders, including people experiencing an eating disorder, families and carers. EDV also provides a helpline and information about accessing treatment and support.

InsideOut Institute
Evidence-based information and resources about eating disorders, including information about treatment and recovery. InsideOut also provides free online support and currently has some free treatment opportunities.

Butterfly Foundation
Free and confidential support for people affected by eating disorders and body image concerns, including a national helpline, online support, resources and a directory of eating disorder professionals.

Butterfly Foundation – Eating disorder resources
A collection of practical resources covering eating disorders, recovery, supporting someone else and getting help.

Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q)
A screening questionnaire that can help you reflect on eating and body image experiences. It is not a diagnostic tool and cannot tell you whether you have an eating disorder.

Private healthcare isn't the only option. Depending on where you live and your circumstances, you may be able to access free or lower-cost support through public health services, community organisations, university clinics, Medicare-supported care or other funded programs.

Healthdirect
A good starting point for finding health services and accessing reliable Australian health information. You can also call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Medicare Mental Health
Free mental health information, support and connections to services. You can also call the Medicare Mental Health phone service on 1800 595 212.

Community health services
Community health organisations may offer free or low-cost health services depending on your circumstances. Your local council or community health service can be a useful place to start. This is the best place to seek a low-cost dietitian!

University clinics
Some universities offer low-cost health services through supervised student clinics. Availability varies between universities and services.

The NDIS can be complicated, particularly when you're trying to work out what supports might be appropriate or how funding can be used.

NDIS – For participants
Official information about NDIS plans, supports, funding, providers and working with the NDIS.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Information about participant rights, provider responsibilities, complaints, safety and making a report.

Carers Australia
Information and support for people who provide unpaid care to family members and friends, including people supporting someone with disability or ongoing health needs.

Practical information about enteral feeding: TubeFed (AVANOS), Nutrica Resources (All ages), ausEE. 

Tube feeding can come with a lot of questions, from formulas and hydration to troubleshooting and everyday practicalities.

I’ll continue adding useful resources here for people using gastrostomy and other enteral feeding tubes, including information that may help families, carers and support workers.

Important: Online information can be useful, but it can't replace individual clinical advice. If you're experiencing a problem with your tube, feeding intolerance, dehydration or other concerning symptoms, speak with your healthcare team.

You don't have to wait until things become a crisis to reach out for support.

Lifeline
Call 13 11 14 for free, confidential crisis support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also use Lifeline's online chat or text 0477 13 11 14.

Beyond Blue
Free, confidential mental health counselling by phone or online, 24/7. Call 1300 22 4636. Beyond Blue can also help you work out what support might be appropriate.

Black Dog Institute
Research-informed information, self-tests and free online tools covering mental health and conditions including anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.

Medicare Mental Health
Free mental health information, support and connections to services in your local area.

Suicide Call Back Service
Free 24/7 phone and online counselling for people experiencing suicidal thoughts, people worried about someone else, and people supporting someone through a difficult time.

Finding healthcare and support that understands sexuality, gender, relationships, identity and the experiences that can come with being LGBTIQA+ can make a real difference.

Research also shows that LGBTIQA+ communities experience higher levels of eating disorder symptoms and disordered eating than heterosexual and cisgender populations, although experiences and levels of risk vary considerably between different groups. Transgender and gender-diverse people in particular experience elevated rates of eating disorder symptoms, disordered eating and body image concerns.

These experiences can intersect with things like gender dysphoria, stigma, discrimination, body expectations and feeling disconnected from your body. Inclusive care means you shouldn't have to leave those parts of your experience at the door when seeking support.

LGBTIQA+ community & mental health support

Rainbow Door
Free specialist LGBTIQA+ support, information and referral for people in Victoria, as well as friends and family. You can contact Rainbow Door about mental health, relationships, family violence, social isolation, sexual assault and other concerns.

QLife
Free and anonymous LGBTIQA+ peer support and referral Australia-wide. You can talk about sexuality, gender, identity, relationships, bodies, feelings or anything else you'd like to discuss.

Switchboard Victoria
An LGBTIQA+ community-led organisation providing peer support, information, connection and advocacy, including Rainbow Door and QLife.

Minus18
Support, resources, community and events for LGBTIQA+ young people across Australia.

LGBTIQA+ inclusive healthcare

Rainbow Health Australia
Information and resources focused on improving the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ communities, including resources for inclusive healthcare.

Thorne Harbour Health
An LGBTIQA+ community-controlled organisation providing health and wellbeing services, including mental health, counselling, sexual health and alcohol and other drug support. Thorne Harbour Health also operates Equinox, a gender-diverse health service in Melbourne.

Transgender Victoria
Information, advocacy, support and referrals for trans and gender-diverse people, their families and allies.

Queerspace
LGBTIQA+ community-led counselling, support and advocacy across Melbourne, including support around relationships, families, young people and wellbeing.

LGBTIQA+ eating disorder & body image support

Butterfly Foundation – LGBTIQA+ eating disorders & body image
Information specifically about eating disorders, disordered eating and body image within LGBTIQA+ communities.

Butterfly Foundation – Find an eating disorder professional
A national directory where you can search for eating disorder professionals and filter for practitioners who support LGBTQIA+ clients. You can search for dietitians, psychologists, GPs, psychiatrists, counsellors and other professionals.

Eating Disorders Victoria – LGBTIQA+ communities
Information and support specifically for LGBTIQA+ people experiencing eating disorders.

A note on the research

LGBTIQA+ people are not one homogenous group, and eating disorder risk and experiences can differ according to sexual orientation, gender identity and other factors. Research in this area is continuing to develop, particularly for people with intersecting identities and for groups that have historically been underrepresented in research.

Eating disorders and feeding difficulties are overrepresented among neurodivergent people, including autistic people and people with ADHD, intellectual disability and other forms of neurodivergence. Research and clinical guidance increasingly recognise that eating disorder support may need to be adapted to account for sensory processing, executive functioning, routines, communication and other individual needs.

Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia (EDNA)

Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia (EDNA)
A neurodivergent-led organisation supporting Australians with lived or living experience of eating disorders and neurodivergence. EDNA provides information, resources and advocacy around neurodiversity-affirming eating disorder care.

EDNA – Neurodivergent people and eating disorders
A free resource specifically for neurodivergent people experiencing body image concerns, feeding difficulties and/or eating disorders. It covers factors that can contribute to eating difficulties, considerations for treatment and recovery, and self-advocacy.

Other useful resources

Eating Disorders Victoria – Eating disorders and autism
Information about the relationship between autism and eating disorders, including ARFID, sensory differences, treatment considerations and neurodiversity-affirming care. EDV also provides free support services to Victorians experiencing eating disorders.

National Eating Disorders Collaboration – Eating disorders and neurodivergence
Information about the relationship between neurodivergence and eating disorders, including links to the EDNA report Eating Disorders and Neurodivergence: A Stepped Care Approach.

Finding support

If you're looking for eating disorder support as a neurodivergent person, it can be worth asking a prospective clinician whether they have experience with neurodiversity-affirming eating disorder care.

Standard eating disorder approaches don't necessarily work for everyone. Sensory needs, communication preferences, routines, executive functioning, interoception and the person's reasons for eating difficulties may all need to be considered when developing support.