Out of Hours Emergencies
When the practice is closed, there is an out of hours emergency medical service available at all times. This service is meant for urgent and emergency problems and should not be used to avoid the inconvenience of consulting during the day. If you need out of hours help, you should telephone 111 which is a free-phone number nationwide. Trained staff located at the call control centre will handle your enquiry.
On dialling 111 a team of fully trained advisers and experienced nurses will assess your condition and direct you to the local service that can help you best, when you need it. That could be your GP surgery, an out of hours GP, A&E, a local urgent care centre, emergency dentist or a late opening pharmacist. The 111 service is in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Remember the Out of Hours Service is for urgent problems only. Please do not contact the service for a second opinion or for anything which can wait until the next working day.
If you have a minor ailment you could visit your local pharmacy who will be able to provide you with some help or signpost you onto the next available service.
In a genuine emergency you should call 999. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.
Urgent Care Services
You can also visit an urgent care service, such as an NHS walk-in centre, urgent care centre or minor injuries unit.
These can provide treatment for minor injuries or illnesses, such as cuts, bruises and rashes.
They have proved to be a successful complementary service to traditional GP and A&E services.
Some urgent care services offer access to doctors, as well as nurses. But they’re not designed for treating long-term conditions or immediately life-threatening problems.
You don’t need to be registered and you don’t need an appointment. Any member of the public can simply walk in to be seen, regardless of where they’re registered. Some offer pre-booked appointments.
NHS 111 BSL
The NHS 111 service is available for deaf people to contact 111 medical staff. Fully qualified and experienced interpreters. This is for use when:
- You need help quickly, but it is NOT an emergency;
- You think you might need to go to A&E but are not in imminent danger
- You don’t know who to contact, or your GP is not available;
- You need health information or advice on what to do next.
How To Make Contact
Go to Interpreter Now – NHS 111. Click on Connect – a BSL interpreter will appear on your screen.
Making contact in BSL is easy. You can do it from any computer, and almost all tablets and mobile phones.
Mental Health Crisis?
You should call 999 or go to A&E if you, or someone you know, experiences a life-threatening medical or mental health emergency. These are cases where there is immediate danger to life or physical injury. A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a medical emergency. If you feel like you may be close to acting on suicidal thoughts or have seriously harmed yourself, you should call 999 or go to A&E directly if you need immediate help and are worried about your safety.
Further guidance & help
Dental emergency and out-of-hours care
If you need urgent dental treatment, contact your usual dental Practice. They may be able to see you or direct you to an urgent dental care service.
If you don’t have a regular dentist, contact NHS 111 for advice on where you can get urgent care.
The cost of emergency dental treatment is currently £21.60. You may be advised to make another appointment for a separate course of non-urgent treatment.
If this happens, you’ll have to pay a second charge in the relevant treatment band.