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An investigation into Healthline's services has been launched after a Mount Maunganui woman was advised the closest Covid-19 testing station was in Whakatāne.
Healthline has responded to the claims, apologising, stating the staff member had "inadvertently" missed the available options closer to home, due to many of the centres beingunavailable at the weekend such as general practice.
Rachel Sayers told the Bay of Plenty Times she called Healthline on Sunday to find the closest place where she could be tested for Covid-19.
She said she had relied on the service since lockdown in 2020 and was appalled to find out her best option was an hour's drive away.
"Not everyone has internet. We're relying on them, though. And they have the internet, so they can look it up."
After the 20-minute call, Sayers said she rang Accident and Healthcare on Second Ave in Tauranga to check it was offering the tests — which it was.
The Second Ave testing centre during alert level 3 last month. Photo / George Novak
"My biggest concern was that Healthline, to me, is what a lot of people rely on.
"A lot of people wouldn't be able to afford the petrol to get there [Whakatane] if that was the case, but if someone is sick, too, they cannot drive that far."
Sayers understood that for the country to move down through the alert levels, everyone had to "play their part". She feared others may have received the same advice, resulting in a lack of adequate testing.
"To get misinformation from it does worry me.
"Everyone is human and I understand that. But for some people, this is their only source and I don't think it's hard to get it right."
Sayers said the Healthline staff member had access to her address.
"The helpline has access to the internet, they can Google your location, they can do the research."
Healthline chief executive Andrew Slater said as a result of a complaint laid by Sayers and further questioning from the Bay of Plenty Times, an investigation into the matter had been launched.
"We have looked into the situation and would like to apologise to her.
"In this instance, our hard-working staff member looked at the directory of Covid testing stations and inadvertently missed that there was in fact one testing station in Tauranga open at that time on a Sunday."
Healthline chief executive Andrew Slater has launched an investigation into why a Mount Maunganui woman was told the closest testing station was in Whakatāne. Photo / NZME
Slater wanted to thank Sayers for her giving feedback on her experience, but ultimately she had done the right thing in contacting Healthline for advice.
"Our team undergo regular training with our directories including understanding advanced search options for weekend service availability.
"We have also launched a supportive internal investigation to make sure this does not happen again."
Healthline had answered more calls during this lockdown than at any other time in the service's 20-year history, Slater said.
On Sunday — the day the Sayers called — Healthline services answered more than 8,000 calls.
At the beginning of the August lockdown, an urgent call for staff was put out following the record number of people using the service.
The snap decision to move to level 4 saw calls to the Covid-19 Healthline mushroom.
