OPH recognizes that navigating the healthcare system can be complex, and barriers to access can have significant impacts on individuals’ well-being. Read our Make the Best Call fact sheet and learn about the services available to help support someone facing healthcare challenges, particularly those residents that do not have access to a family physician or nurse practitioner. Some of those services are listed below:
Ontario Health 811
A free, secure and confidential service you can call or access online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to get health advice from a registered nurse or to find health services or information. Toll free TTY line: 1-866-797-0007. You can visit Health 811 for more information.
211 is here to help!
Dial 211 for local information and referrals on community, social, government and health services. 211 is a three-digit phone number that provides free, confidential and multilingual information and referrals to clients looking for community and social services in Ottawa. You can visit 211Ontario.ca for more information.
Neighbourhood Health & Wellness Hubs
OPH works with the City of Ottawa and community partners to deliver integrated services closer to where people live, by providing additional access to drop-in health and social services at no cost. There are currently 13 Neighborhood Health and Wellness Hubs that offer a range of services, including:
- COVID-19, flu, school and routine childhood vaccination
- dental screenings
- mental health and substance use health services and wellbeing support
- parenting support and
- financial assistance services.
The hubs provide an opportunity to speak in-person with OPH and/or City of Ottawa staff. No appointment is needed. Different services are offered at different locations. More information can be found at OttawaPublicHealth.ca/NeighbourhoodHub.