Frequently Asked Questions about the Get Healthy Service

The Get Healthy Service is delivered by Diabetes Australia, a national provider of health coaching services, contracted by the NSW Government. 

This free evidence-based service is available to anyone living in NSW aged 16 years and over.

It supports you in making long-term changes in:

• making healthier food choices
• being more physically active
• gaining a healthy amount of weight in pregnancy
• managing gestational diabetes
• avoiding alcohol
• accessing support to quit smoking and vaping
• managing your health while living with type 2 diabetes or cancer.

It offers personalised support for:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through our Get Healthy for Aboriginal people program
• people with, or are at risk of chronic conditions, such as diabetes or cancer
• older adults (people 65 years and over and 50 years and over for Aboriginal people) through our Get Healthy for older adults program
• women who are planning to be, are pregnant or have given birth through the Get Healthy in Pregnancy and beyond program

Have a medical condition?

There are some conditions that need medical clearance from your GP (doctor). If you haven’t been referred by your doctor, in your first coaching call, the health coach will check if the program is right for you.

They will ask some health questions, like if you:

• have been in hospital recently
• have health problems like high blood pressure, heart or breathing conditions
• are at risk of falling.

If there are any concerns and you are not seeing a doctor for these issues, you may need to visit your GP (doctor) for a medical safety check.

Find helpful information and resources for health professionals to help improve their patients' health and wellbeing and how to make a referral to the Get Healthy service.

People can be referred to the service by their General Practitioner (GP) or a health professional.

People can also register themselves for the coaching or information service by:

• filling out the online registration form
• calling 1300 806 258 from Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm
• emailing contact@gethealthynsw.com.au

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers are estimated to be responsible for around 80% of the total burden of disease in Australia.

Many of these can be prevented through:

• making healthier food choices
• being more physically active
• drinking less alcohol
• achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
• improving strength, mobility, and balance.

Making lifestyle changes is often easier said than done, and the journey can be challenging. The Get Healthy Service was designed to support people to make these lifestyle changes.

The service is based on evidence that phone and online based coaching are effective in changing healthy eating and physical activity behaviours.

Find more information about healthy living on the NSW Health website.

When you join the Get Healthy Service, you get:

• up to 10 personal coaching sessions with a qualified health coach
• extra support between sessions through emails, text messages, or online chat.
• access to webinars and a handy online portal to track your goals, find helpful resources, and manage your appointments.

Healthy lifestyle habits can help you feel better and lower your risk of long-term health problems.

Eating well and being active can boost your mood, energy, focus, strength, movement, and improve your sleep.

People who completed the Get Healthy Service program, on average:

• moved 44 minutes more each week
• ate more fruit and vegetables
• drank less sugary drinks
• had fewer takeaway meals
• lost about 1.5 kg and 3 cm from their waist and lowered their Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a number that shows if your weight is healthy for your height.

To learn more about our program results and impact visit Get Healthy Service research and publications.

The service also provides tailored support for:

• Type 2 Diabetes: Prevention, managing your health, and following your medical team’s advice.
• Pregnancy: Physical and mental wellbeing and avoiding alcohol.
• Cancer: Staying active, eating well, and following your medical team’s advice during and after treatment.
• Older adults: Online exercise sessions, links to free or low-cost exercise classes near you, plus easy-to-use tips and videos to help with healthy eating and looking after your eyes, teeth, bowel and kidneys.

Learn more about our programs.

The Get Healthy Service operates:

• on Saturdays, from 9am to 5pm
• extended hours from Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm to allow for calls to be made before and after business hours.

The service does not operate on public holidays.

Yes. The Get Healthy Service provides coaching in Cantonese and Mandarin.

Support for other languages other than English is offered through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS). 

Free support is also available for people who are deaf and hard of hearing through the National Relay Service

Just let us know your communication needs.

Get Healthy Service will only call from this number (02) 9171 5616. You may wish to save this number on your phone so it is recognisable when your health coach calls.

For registrations received for health coaching, the service aims to call participants within 3 business days.

You will receive a text message and email confirming the call time. The text message will include the phone number that you will be called from.

Wherever possible you will receive a call within the preferred time listed on the registration form.

When calling direct, a Get Healthy Service team member or the first available health coach will answer.

Health coaches who are all qualified health professionals in dietetics, exercise physiology, nursing or equivalent health qualifications.

All health coaches receive further training to ensure they meet the requirements of the Get Healthy Service.

You’ll have the same health coach for the whole program, but you can ask to change coaches any time.

You will speak with a Get Healthy Service team member who will explain the service and help you choose between:

• a one-off coaching call, or
• ongoing health coaching support with up to 10 coaching calls.

If you choose ongoing health coaching, you will receive a link to register for the online portal and complete a health assessment survey to personalise your support.

Callers will be asked information to ensure the service meets their individual needs. This includes:

• information regarding their current eating and activity behaviours
• how ready they are to make changes and set goals
• other information regarding their life circumstances.

Participants may also be screened during their first coaching call by their health coach for potential health risks.

The service needs to collect information from all people as part of a screening and health assessment, including:

• contact details
• biometric measurements (optional)
• other information regarding their life circumstances.

Your health goals will guide other questions you will be asked, to help us tailor your coaching. You decide how much to share.

This information is used to tailor coaching to participants’ needs and identify if medical clearance is needed before they join the service.

It is important to note that all information gathered during a call will remain strictly private and confidential.

If you miss your registration or coaching call, the health coach will make 3 call attempts within 15 business days.

One of these call attempts will be at the preferred time listed within the registration form.

You’ll be informed of the number your health coach will call from. This is a landline number, and it is a good idea to save this to your phone, so you do not miss the call.

You can call 1300 806 258 to reschedule your session (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm).

If a health coach is unable to reach the individual during this period, an email will be sent after the final call attempt asking you to get in touch.

Yes. Wherever possible, a participant will be matched with their own personal health coach for the duration of the program. This helps ensure that a supportive relationship is developed.

A participant will be matched with a health coach based on criteria such as their health goals, preferences and cultural background.

You will receive:

• personalised phone or video coaching calls
• extra support like emails, text reminders, online chat, webinars
• access to a participant portal with tailored resources
• free tools to track your goals and progress.

Your calls are flexible. You and your health coach choose when and how often to chat. Most people book a coaching call every 2-3 weeks to stay on track.

At the end of the program, you can re-join or opt in to receive ongoing text message support though the Get Healthy Stay Healthy program.

To get started:

• register online
• call 1300 806 258 from Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.

Yes. The Get Healthy Service is phone and online based, so anyone living in NSW can join.

Resources are available via email or post. Coaches consider local service availability and are trained to support participants based on different needs and circumstances.

Yes. Free access to interpreter services and the National Relay Service is also available. Just let us know your communication needs. 

If you have been referred to the Get Healthy Service but don’t want to participate you can choose not to enrol in the service.

You can withdraw your registration or enrolment at any time by:

• calling 1300 806 258 from Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm
• email to contact@gethealthynsw.com.au

Yes. The Get Healthy Service provides coaching in Cantonese and Mandarin.

Support for other languages other than English is offered through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS)

There are some conditions that need medical clearance from your GP (doctor).

If you have not been referred by your doctor, in your first coaching call, the health coach will check if the program is right for you.

They will ask some health questions, like if you:

• have been in hospital recently
• have health problems like high blood pressure, heart or breathing conditions
• are at risk of falling.

If there are any concerns and you are not seeing a doctor for these issues, participants may need to get medical clearance from their General Practitioner (GP) or doctor before beginning their Get Healthy journey.

For more information, health professionals can refer to our health professional information page.

You can support your patients to access qualified support to build healthy habits. To refer a patient, you can:

• refer and register your patient online
• download and complete the relevant forms from this list:
  • medical practitioner's referral form (PDF 264.9KB) (PDF 264.9KB)
  • health professional referral form (PDF 180.02KB) (PDF 180.02KB)
  • cancer support referral form (PDF 150.85KB) (PDF 150.85KB)

After completing the form for each patient, you can:

• email it to contact@gethealthynsw.com.au
• fax it to 1300 013 242

Referral forms are also available on:

• Medical Director and Best Practice software
• digital referral pathways in all public maternity sites.

Referrals to the Get Healthy Service will also be available through EPIC when single digital patient record (SDPR) is launched in your district.

For more information, health professionals can refer to our health professional information page.

The Get Healthy Service has been specifically designed to provide individual advice, support and motivation.

A participant cannot receive coaching on behalf of someone else.

Participants can, however, request a journey booklet or a service brochure they can share with a family or friend who can join the coaching service themselves to receive support.

Carers can also be added as an authorised representative on an individual's account for consent purposes.

Carers can accompany a participant during health coaching calls; however, they will need to complete an identification check first.