Victorian families wanting immediate health advice have it at their fingertips with the launch of Victoria's NURSE-ON-CALL 24-hour hotline.

Launching the service at its new Richmond call centre, Premier Steve Bracks said callers would be able to speak to an experienced nurse, discuss their illness or condition, receive advice and be directed to the care or treatment they need.

'Whether you're a mum whose kids have come down with the flu in the middle of the night or an elderly Victorian who wants advice about how to manage long-term back pain, you'll be able to get straight through to a registered nurse without having to endure an annoying automated menu system.'

Mr Bracks said the new service would also have the added benefit of freeing up doctors and nurses in hospitals to concentrate on treating patients who are already there, rather than addressing health concerns over the phone.

People can ring the line—1300 60 60 24—direct or can be transferred through if they ring a hospital and their query can best be handled by NURSE-ON-CALL.

In the case of medical emergencies, people should always call 000.

'NURSE-ON-CALL is a valuable addition to the existing system, which includes hospitals, family doctors and community health agencies,' Mr Bracks said.

'It will give people access to 24-hour advice and information, which will help them determine if they need to attend hospital or a doctor straight away, whether their illness or condition could be treated by a GP the next day or if they can manage it themselves.

'We expect the service will build up to the stage where it will take up to 500,000 calls a year—or one a minute—and ease the pressure on hospital emergency departments.'

NURSE-ON-CALL would not provide diagnosis of illnesses, injuries and ailments but the registered nurses would assess the urgency and direct the caller to the care required, Mr Bracks said.

NURSE-ON-CALL is being run by experienced healthcare operator McKesson Asia-Pacific.

Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said the nurses would have access to evidence-based clinical decision support software, providing them with the latest medical advice to guide clinical judgment, plus information from the Better Health Channel.

Ms Pike said the nurses would also be able to provide general advice and information on health issues and advice on steps the callers could take to manage their own health and wellbeing.

'The NURSE-ON-CALL line will quickly become a valuable health service for families around the state.'