Legal Advice Clinic (Health Justice Partnership)
This program is a partnership between Legal Aid NSW and South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD).
Health justice partnerships aim to improve the wellbeing of people receiving care in hospitals who have legal concerns that may impact on their physical and mental health.
Our team
A lawyer from Legal Aid NSW provides this service.
What we do
We offer free assistance and referrals for health-related legal problems.
Some of the matters we can help resolve include:
- Centrelink issues
- Fines
- Tenancy and housing
- Credit, debt and mortgage matters
- Work related disputes
- Elder abuse
We can also provide preliminary advice for criminal and family law matters.
If comprehensive or specialist advice is required, we will refer you to the right service.
What we cannot do
We are not able to give advice on workplace injury matters or workers compensation. If you need this type of advice, you should contact a private solicitor as soon as possible. The Law Society of NSW can provide contact details for private solicitors.
We are also unable to create or witness wills but can refer you to solicitors or services who can assist with these issues. The NSW Trustee and Guardian charges a set fee to make and update your will, unless you are on a full Centrelink Age Pension, in which case they will prepare your will for free.
Our clients
To access our service, clients must be receiving care, or have recently received care, from Sutherland Hospital, St George Hospital or Calvary Health Care.
This includes inpatient, outpatient, and community health services.
How do you access this service?
In the first instance, clients should try and speak with a nurse, social worker or other health practitioner.
This team member will be able to assist by completing a referral form.
Referrals can be emailed to SESLHD-TSHLegalClinic@health.nsw.gov.au.
This clinic is currently a phone-based service, however face to face appointments can be arranged if required.
More information
Clients can also access free legal help through LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529. Please refer to their website https://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/ for more information.
Other useful resources include:
- Legal Aid NSW provides legal services to disadvantaged clients
- Law Society of NSW provides contact details for private solicitors
- NSW Trustee & Guardian provides a full range of will and trustee services
- Health Justice Australia is the national centre supporting health justice partnerships
Contact us
Integrated Care Unit
Mobile: 0417 888 440
Fax: 02 9540 8164
Email: SESLHD-TSHLegalClinic@health.nsw.gov.au