About NSW Poisons Information Centre
Contact us
Poisons helpline: 13 11 26
Before listing the Poisons Information Centre number on your product or SDS you must provide product details to the National Poisons Register.
Please email SLHD-NPR-Products@health.nsw.gov.au or call (02) 9515 1267.
- Provide feedback to our service
- Submit an online request for poisons centre data
- Contact our public relations team for media requests.
- Read more about privacy and confidentiality of patient information.
The NSW Poisons Information Centre is based at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Telephone advice is available 24/7 on 13 11 26 from anywhere in Australia.
- Our service is for the public and healthcare workers. We aim to provide high quality, updated, poisons information and risk assessment advice.
- Our staff undergo training and continuing education which are continually evolving and expanding. This allows us to answer calls about exposures and give tailored advice instead of general information.
- Our team includes specialists in poisons information (predominantly pharmacists) with postgraduate training in clinical toxicology and poisons information. They work with clinical toxicologists who are medical specialists and provide expert advice to health professionals about the management of people who are poisoned.
- Our centre is an accredited training site for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine.
- Our centre liaises with poisons centres from around Australia and the world in maintaining education, training and toxicovigilance. We also identify poisoning trends and products causing poisonings in the community, while working with the relevant authorities to reduce risk to the community.
Our service is for humans only, please refer to the Animal Australian Poisons Helpline 1300 TOX PET (1300 869 738) or your veterinarian for any animal enquiries .
History
- The NSW Poisons Information Centre was established in 1966, originally as an office-hours service which was extended to a service from 6am till midnight.
- After-hours calls were taken by medical house staff within the Children's Hospital at Camperdown.
- In 1987, NSW Health agreed to provide a 24-hour service which included after hours national coverage.
Collaboration
Some of our collaborators include:
- The five clinical/medical toxicology services based in NSW teaching hospitals.
- NSW Ministry of Health
- Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs
- NSW Forensic and Analytical Scientific Services
- Research groups at leading NSW Universities
- Various federal agencies.