HealthLink 811 is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week telecare service that provides confidential health advice and information to concerned callers. There’s no cost to the caller and a Nova Scotia health card isn’t required.

When a person dials 811 from any telephone registered in Nova Scotia, they are directed to an experienced registered nurse who will ask the individual to describe the symptoms they or their family member are experiencing.

The nurse will then assess the urgency of the caller's symptoms or health condition and advise them on the next steps, such as appropriate self-care, or to seek services from a family physician or another health-care provider, or to visit an emergency department.

HealthLink isn’t a diagnostic service. It provides advice, information and reassurance concerning general health issues. An automated library of recorded health information is available online at NSHealthLink811.ca

Service is available in multiple languages through French-speaking bilingual nurses as well as an on-demand third-party translation service. Services similar to HealthLink are being widely used in other provinces and have had a positive impact.