Out of hours services and emergencies

Outside normal working hours, a 24hr medical advice is available throughout the year.  Cover is provided by the local doctors and nurses operating through Northern Doctors Urgent Care. The service provides telephone advice, consultation at an emergency centre, or, if appropriate, a home visit.

To contact the service, please call the normal surgery number and listen to the recorded message.

Calls to the out of hours services should be for urgent matters only which cannot wait until our surgeries have re-opened. To contact the out of hours service, ring the main surgery number and listen to the recorded message for contact instructions.

The medical/nursing staff on duty do not have access to your records and have only a limited supply of emergency medication. If you telephone the surgery out of hours you will hear a recorded message giving the contact number for the out of hours service. The message may change so you must always telephone the surgery each time you need assistance.

Please note that trauma, nosebleeds and drug overdoses are dealt with by the Accident and Emergency Department of the hospital and not by the GPs. Toothache and other dental problems are covered by the Emergency Dental Service.

Potential life-threatening emergencies, e.g. severe chest pain, severe breathlessness, collapse, fits etc should be dealt with by telephoning 999 immediately.

Telephone advice on health matters is also available from NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or online at  www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

This 24 hour helpline is staffed by experienced nurses who are able to provide detailed advice on a wide variety of illnesses and other health related issues. It is especially worthwhile contacting them if you are suffering from coughs, colds, flu symptoms, rashes, stomach upsets and back and neck problems etc.