Each week we will post a summary of interesting and representative 211 calls. This week, we have connections from Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick.

Newfoundland and Labrador:

There is so much to find out when arriving in a new country. Information that most of us take for granted is not obvious to newcomers who may be used to different ways of finding services. 211 is always there to assist people in making their transition to living in their new community.

A woman called 211 and said that she was a newcomer to Canada from South Asia. She told the Service Navigator that she has two small children, both under the age of five years. The caller wanted to know about getting vaccinations for her children and was inquiring on what her next steps should be. The caller said: “How do I get my children vaccinated? I am new here.”

The Service Navigator explained how children were immunized in Newfoundland and Labrador and oriented her to the health system. The Service Navigator checked that the caller did not yet have a family doctor. She spoke to the caller about how to find a doctor for her family in her new community. She let her know the respective roles of public health, 811 and family doctors and how to get in touch with each.

The caller thanked the Service Navigator for her explanation and referrals, and told her that she would connect with 211 again if she had more questions. The Service Navigator encouraged her to call 211 any time she needed information to assist her as she settled in her new community.

New Brunswick:

These days, it can be hard to know where to find help, especially for people without access to the Internet. Fortunately, 211 Service Navigators are available by telephone 24 hours and can help people find the services that they need.

A 211 Service Navigator took a call from a gentleman who was frustrated because he had been told to call several numbers to add his name to a waiting list for a family physician in New Brunswick. He tried calling, but he said he was always calling the wrong number and was referred to other numbers that were not helpful at all. He was frustrated by the time he called 211, and asked for help and clarification on the process to be on the waiting list for a family doctor in New Brunswick.

The Service Navigator empathized with his feeling of being overwhelmed with calling different numbers. He was asked to explain his situation better to make sure she had the information to assist him better in his search for a family physician.

After he shared more details, the Service Navigator explained that the easiest way to put his name on the waiting list for a family doctor was through Patient Connect NB online. However, the caller did not have Internet access at home. The Service Navigator offered to register him online with his permission. She told him that in order for her to help him register, he would have to share personal information but that 211 is a confidential service. He agreed.

The Service Navigator asked the necessary questions for his registration and the application was completed. She gave him a confirmation number for his application in case he needed to follow up. The caller was very happy about the assistance with registering online for a family physician. He was also very glad that the Service Navigator took the time to listen and did not send him somewhere else to resolve his situation.