We try to keep our GP appointments for patients with more serious or complex health problems.
Before you book an appointment to see a doctor please consider whether an appointment with another healthcare professional might be more appropriate. This could be a Nurse, Clinical Pharmacist, Paramedic, Social Prescriber or Mental Health Practitioner.
Our Patient Services Team can help direct you to the right professional to ensure you are receiving the right care at the right time.
Self care
If you have a cough, cold, headache or other minor ailment try treating yourself at home first. Find out more about treatments for common minor ailments.
Please remember that self-care for common conditions can help free up our GPs’ time, making it easier to get an appointment when you have a more serious condition.
Your pharmacist can help too
Community Pharmacies are working alongside practices to help treat minor illnesses such as coughs, sore throats, rashes, bites, back pain etc. This can be done via a direct referral from the practice to one of the local pharmacies or by dropping in to a local pharmacy.
Since January 2024, pharmacies have expanded what acute problems they can see under the NHS Pharmacy First scheme. These conditions are: UTI’s, ear infections, shingles, impetigo, infected insect bites, sore throat, ear infections. Pharmacists are now able to issue prescription only medications for these above conditions.
Once you have been assessed by a pharmacist, they will get in touch with the practice if they feel your problem needs to be seen urgently by a doctor or other healthcare professional.
Click here for more information about how pharmacies can help you.
NHS 111
111 is the free NHS non-emergency number.
You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation.
Call 111 if:
- you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency
- you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
- you don’t know who to call or you don’t have a GP to call
- you need health information or reassurance about what to do next
Click here for more information about how NHS 111 can help you.
A&E
A&E is for life-threatening accidents and emergencies only. Before you go there, ask yourself, “Is it a real emergency?”
If not, please consider using other local health services before you visit A&E.
