As I see it: Your NHS is here for you – options for out of hours care
There has been a lot of recent debate about the opening hours of Newark Urgent Treatment Centre, writes Victoria McGregor-Riley, commissioning delivery director at NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
We recognise that, quite rightly, people have strong feelings about the availability of local NHS services. So, it’s vital that people know about the services that are available to them at different times of day and night.
The quickest way to receive medical help, including an out of hours GP appointment, is via NHS111 online or by phone — available 24 hours a day.
You can call 111 or visit https://111.nhs.uk/ to receive advice or be navigated to the most appropriate service by a trained operator. The operator will be able to book appointments and timeslots at the most appropriate service.
Depending on what you need, you might be advised to self-medicate at home or be offered one of these options:
• see a pharmacist for help with a minor illness
• contact your GP surgery
• get urgent specialist dental or mental health support
• book a callback from a nurse
• see an out-of-hours GP
• go to an urgent treatment centre (last patient currently admitted at 9.30pm at Newark UTC)
• call 999 or go to A&E in an emergency
Pharmacists can give you advice on a range of conditions and suggest medicines that can help. They may also be able to offer treatment and prescription medicine for some conditions, without seeing a GP — this is called Pharmacy First.
Conditions they can treat as part of Pharmacy First are:
• earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• shingles (aged 18 years and over)
• sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years)
If you go to a pharmacy with one of these conditions, the pharmacist will offer you advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or other healthcare professional and update your GP health record. If you are not within these age ranges, they can still offer advice, but you may need to see a GP for treatment.
Some pharmacies are open late (until midnight) and at weekends. Find out more about pharmacies near you and their opening hours at https://notts.icb.nhs.uk/your- services/community-pharmacy/
We also have a range of self-care leaflets to help you manage common conditions such as minor burns and scalds, conjunctivitis, constipation and cystitis. See our website for more information: https://notts.icb.nhs.uk/your-health/stay-well/self-care/
And we have created a health and wellbeing resource for parents to help you identify common illnesses and know when to seek treatment for your baby or child. This covers conditions such as chickenpox, asthma, earache and scarlet fever and many others.
Many illnesses can be treated at home with over-the-counter medication but in some cases, your child may need to see a health professional, if it is serious. This information will help you to know when to seek further treatment and provide reassurance for many common illnesses.
You can access the information around children’s illnesses on our website: https://notts.icb.nhs.uk/your-services/childrens-health-and-wellbeing/
The NHS is there for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please always try and choose the most appropriate service for your needs.
You can find details about all your NHS services and how to access urgent and non-urgent care on our website at https://notts.icb.nhs.uk/your-health/urgent-and-non-urgent-care/
If you’re not sure, use NHS 111 online or by phone, who will direct you to the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
