Telephone helplines
If you want to speak to someone about Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis CCA offers two telephone support services:
- Crohn’s and Colitis Helpline (Helpline Coordinator)
- Crohn’s and Colitis NurseLine (IBD nurse)
1800 138 029
Please note these services do not provide urgent care. They should not be used in an emergency. If the problem is urgent, please contact your doctor or go to an emergency department.
Crohn’s & Colitis Helpline
Provides individual help, information and guidance on Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, provided by our Helpline Coordinator.
The Helpline Coordinator is a knowledgeable peer (not a health professional) that can provide general information about a range of subjects including:
- General information about symptoms, tests and investigations, treatment, diet, medication and surgery, alternative or complementary therapies
- Standards of treatment recommended for the management of IBD
- Difficulty coping and anxiety
- Employment, workplace, school, and education issues
- Overseas visitors, travelling with IBD and insurance cover
- Centrelink, NDIS, sickness benefits, disability insurance and income protection
- Seeking professionals with experience in IBD
This service is available business days and if the line is busy you will generally receive a call back within 24 hours.
Call 1800 138 029, press option 1 for Helpline
Crohn’s & Colitis NurseLine
Individual help, information and guidance on Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, provided by our IBD nurse.
The IBD nurse is a nurse with specific training in IBD who can provide specialised information and guidance for people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. The IBD nurse can help you to understand your condition and how it is affecting you and can provide information, education, and guidance on a wide range of subjects including:
- Understanding Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, especially for those newly diagnosed
- Prevention and/or management of complications of IBD, e.g. stricturing or fistulising Crohn’s disease
- Medications, treatment aims and strategies
- Investigations and monitoring
- Diet and IBD
- Pregnancy and fertility in IBD
- Paediatric IBD
- Vaccination recommendations
- Conditions associated with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis for example joint pain, skin, eye, or liver conditions
- Sexuality and IBD
- Smoking cessation in relation to IBD
- Seeking professionals with experience in IBD across Australia
- Surgery and management of IBD after surgery
The IBD nurse can also help you identify any issues you are experiencing with your condition, help you to build a personalised care plan based around those issues, and in some cases assist you to access services or resources that may address those issues.
Please note: The Crohn’s & Colitis NurseLine is available through phone appointment only.
OR Call 1800 138 029, press option 2 to book a NurseLine appointment or email [email protected]
Contact the Helpline or NurseLine
Just call 1800 138 029, press option 1 for Helpline or press option 2 for NurseLine.
Alternatively, you can also arrange a phone appointment with the IBD NurseLine by emailing [email protected].
All information and advice provided by the Helpline and NurseLine is of a general nature and does not replace the advice of your treating doctor and healthcare professionals. Always consult with your treating healthcare professionals about management of your condition.
The Crohn’s and Colitis Helpline is sponsored by Dr. Falk and Takeda
The Crohn’s and Colitis NurseLine is proudly supported by The McCusker Charitable Foundation, and Sandoz.
