Medical help ‘Out of Hours’

If you require medical help outside of your medical practice’s opening hours, please consider the following options carefully:

Emergency? Call 999

999 should only be used in emergencies, for example when someone’s life is at risk or when someone is seriously ill or critically injured.

Not an emergency, but need medical help fast?

The out-of-hours service at your medical practice will reply to any phone calls between the hours of 6.00pm and 6.30pm Monday to Friday. After 6.30pm you will be asked to ring 111 (a free phone number).

6.30pm–8.00am (Monday–Friday) and 24hours Saturday–Sunday (including bank holidays) – call 111

More information can be found below.

NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do.

Get help online or on the phone

To get help from NHS 111, you can:

• go to 111.nhs.uk (for people aged 5 and over only)
• call 111

NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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’re deaf and want to use the phone service

How NHS 111 works

You answer questions about your symptoms on the website, or by speaking to a fully trained adviser on the phone.

You can ask for a translator if you need one.

Depending on the situation you’ll:

• find out what local service can help you
• be connected to a nurse, emergency dentist, pharmacist or GP
• get a face-to-face appointment if you need one
• be told how to get any medicine you need
• get self-care advice.