Help us help you
Your health is important to us and there are a range of services available.
Don’t put off seeking urgent treatment or advice from your Doctor, Midwife, Pharmacist or other care expert when you are feeling unwell or worried about a new or existing condition.
You can help us, help you by using the service that best meets your needs. This also helps people who are critically unwell get the urgent medical help they need more quickly.
Make sure you receive the right care when and where you need it.
- Seek the urgent advice you need
- Get the right treatment as soon as possible
- Protect you and your family from future illness
- Access the right healthcare in a safe way
Choose the right service for you
Pharmacy and self care
The NHS is here to help when you need it - but you can also Help us Help you by knowing when you can care for yourself, and your family at home for:
- Ear infections
- Sore throats
- Impetigo
- Bites and stings
- Sinusitus
- Coughs, colds
- Minor cuts
- Allergies
Children and young people
0-19 years advice line
Advice on child health, development and parenting for families with children 0-19 years
- 01883 340 922 8am-5pm
(Mon to Fri excl. Bank Holidays)
New and expectant parents
For new and expectant parents, your regular antenatal appointments are really important to monitor the health of you and your baby.
Help and information is available on:
- Maternity support
- Taking medicine in pregnancy
- Choosing the right help for you and your baby
- Safer sleep advice for babies
- Coping with a crying baby
- Perinatal Mental Health
- Local support and information
- Safeguarding children and young people
NHS 111
When you, or your family, need urgent health advice but it’s not an emergency or if you’re not sure where to go, NHS 111 can help with urgent health advice around the clock.
NHS 111 provides advice and can link you up with the service you need – which could include a pharmacy, out of hours GP appointments, minor injuries unit, urgent treatment centre or walk-in-centre.
To get help from NHS 111, you can:
- go to 111.nhs.uk (for people aged five and over)
- call 111
available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
If you have difficulties communicating or hearing, you can:
- call 18001 111 on a textphone
- use the NHS 111 British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter service if you are deaf and want to
- use the phone service
GP services
Contact your practice online or by phone for help with:
- Persistent symptoms
- Chronic pain
- Long term conditions
- Unusual lumps, bumps
- and more
Mental health and emotional wellbeing
Help and support available for for children, young people and adults including crisis support.
Minor Injury Units and Walk-in Centres
Minor Injuries Units and Walk-in Centres can help with serious non-emergency conditions and injuries such as:
- Bites and stings
- Cuts and grazes
- Minor burns and scalds
- Minor eye or ear injuries including removal of foreign bodies from the ears or nose
- Minor head injuries
- Removal of splinters
- Sprains, strains and limb injuries
- Suspected fractures and broken bones
- Neck pain
Emergency care and 999
Only call 999 if it’s a medical emergency
- That’s when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
- Also call 999 if you think someone has had a major trauma, such as after a serious road traffic accident, a stabbing, a shooting, a fall from height, or a serious head injury.
If you’re not sure where to go call 111 or go to 111.nhs.uk first for advice.
Emergency Departments are for medical emergencies
- They are not for minor health problems.
- If you suspect you or a family member is suffering from tightening chest pains or stoke symptoms dial 999 immediately, every second counts with these conditions.
- Medical emergencies include loss of consciousness, severe confusion, chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding, severe allergic reactions and serious burns or scalds.