Is your appointment routine or urgent?
Routine
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Can you wait until the next available appointment?
- Is it an existing health issue that we already know about?
- Do you need advice?
- Are there multiple problems you wish to discuss?
If you answered “yes” to all of these, then you need a routine appointment.
To learn how to book an appointment, click here.
Urgent
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Is it an emergency? If yes, then it’s best to contact 111 or if it is life threatening then ring 999.
- Is it a new health problem that you haven’t told us about before?
- Are you worried that by waiting longer it will get a lot worse?
- Is it just one health problem?
If you answered “yes” to all of these, then you need an urgent appointment.
You can request an urgent appointment for the same day or day after (Monday to Friday)
To learn how to book an appointment, click here
Pharmacy First Service
Could a Pharmacist help you?
Pharmacists can suggest treatments that do not need a prescription for a range of conditions.
Most pharmacies can also offer prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP or needing to make an appointment. This is called Pharmacy First.
Conditions they can offer prescription medicine for are:
- Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
- Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
- Earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
- Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
- Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years)
- Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
To learn more about the Pharmacy First service and how to access it at your local pharmacy click here.
NHS 111 Service
NHS 111 Service is much more than an advice line
NHS 111 can help if you think you need medical help urgently right now. They are available on the phone and online 24/7.
You can get help from NHS 111:
- by using 111 online
- in the NHS App
- by calling 111
111 can direct you to the best place to get help if you cannot contact your GP during the day, or when your GP is closed.
They have access to appointments at your own GP surgery or other nearby GP surgeries when your own surgery does not.
When your GP surgery is closed they can put you through to the GP out of hours service.
They can also provide general health advice and information on the best way to access NHS services.
To learn about the 111 service and how to use it click here.