If you need urgent treatment or care 'Out of Hours' that can't wait until the GP surgery re-opens you only need to ring one number for help - 08454 220 220.
'Out of Hours' is the period of time between 6.30pm and 8am on weekdays and covers all day and night at weekends and public holidays.
To ensure that patients benefit from quick access to help, please do NOT use this number for prescriptions, test results or routine matters - it is for URGENT 'OUT OF HOURS' medical matters only.
Contacting this number will put you through to specially trained NHS staff who are used to dealing with confidential medical information. They will make sure that you receive the right advice and help quickly.
The staff who talk to you on the telephone will ask you some questions to establish what help you need e.g. your name, address, the name of your GP and your reason for calling.
During this call, these staff will either:
- pass the call to a doctor or nurse who may be able to deal with the medical problem over the telephone
- offer you advice on self care or connect you to NHS Direct
- refer you to a local Primary Care Centre (PCC - a place where doctors and nurses see people who require urgent treatment or care 'Out of Hours')
- call out a member of the on-call team, who will carry out a home visit if there is a need. Remember - if you no longer require a home visit please contact the 'Out of Hours' service to let them know so that they can send the on-call team to see another patient
- or, in an emergency send out an ambulance. The 'Out of Hours' service is run by dedicated 'Out of Hours' staff including doctors, specialist nurses and other health and social care workers.
