Who Should I See?

Before you book an appointment to see a doctor please consider whether an appointment with a practice nurse or pharmacist might be appropriate. They can help you with a wide range of medical problems.

Our receptionists can help you decide which is the right person for you to see.

Self care

If you have a cough, cold, headache or other minor ailment try treating yourself at home first. Our Self Care page lists some conditions that you can safely treat at home.

Your local pharmacist can help too. Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals and can give you confidential health advice for a range of common illnesses and complaints.

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.

Pharmacy First

Don’t wait for a GP appointment for coughs, colds, aches and pains. Just give your local pharmacy a call or drop in – there’s no need to make an appointment.

Your pharmacists can also help you decide if you need to see a doctor or nurse.

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.