An Emergency Department Frailty Nurse with a stethoscope and scrubs

Urgent and Emergency Care

It is vitally important that you access the right help, depending on your condition. We want to help you to find out where is best for you to get treatment and what to do in an emergency.

If your condition is not life threatening, please consider other options before dialling 999 or coming to one of our Emergency Departments. It means our emergency staff can concentrate on people whose lives are at serious risk and save you an unnecessarily long wait.

Emergency care (Accident & Emergency)

Emergency care involves life-threatening illnesses or accidents which require immediate treatment from the ambulance service (via 999) and an emergency department (A&E). (examples)

Urgent care 

Urgent care involves any non-life-threatening illness or injury needing urgent attention which might be dealt with by phone consultation through the NHS111 Clinical Assessment Service, pharmacy advice, out-of-hours GP appointments, and/or referral to an urgent treatment centre (UTC). If you're unsure if you need urgent medical help then NHS 111 can help. 

 

What should you do to ensure you receive the most appropriate care for your needs: 

If someone's seriously ill, injured or their life's at risk

Call 999 immediately .

Serious illnesses, injuries and life  t hreatening emergencies include:  

  • severe trauma including head injuries, road traffic accidents, stabbings or shootings  
  • severe bleeding that  won't  stop  
  • severe chest pains  
  • breathing difficulties  
  • severe fractures  
  • loss of consciousness  
  • overdose/poisoning  
  • sever e burns or scalds  
  • serious allergic reactions  
  • sudden confusion  
  • fits (seizures) that  won't  stop  
  • child head injuries  
  • if you think  someone's  having a stroke.  

Paramedics and the ambulance team will take the patient to the appropriate department, which might be one of our Emergency Departments .  

If you have a minor injury or someone needs medical help that is not serious or life threatening

Ring NHS 111, they will direct you to the right care.

NHS 111 online can tell you:

  • where to get help for your symptoms, if you're not sure what to do
  • how to find general health information and advice
  • where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
  • how to get a repeat prescription

Or you can call 111 which is free of charge from mobile phones or landlines.

If you have an illness that won't go away

Call your GP who can assess you, prescribe treatment or refer you to a specialist.  

If you don't have a GP, or you have recently moved to a new area and need a GP,  fi nd out how to register with a GP surgery  

If you have a short term minor illness

You  won't  usually need to see a GP for short-term coughs, colds, headaches, sore throats, aches and pains and stomach upsets. They usually go away with rest and medicines t hat you can buy over the counter from your local pharmacy.  

Your pharmacy can also give you advice on non-serious complaints  such;  

  • cystitis (bladder infection)  
  • conjunctivitis  
  • earache  
  • skin rashes  
  • teething.  

Find out more about  how your pharmacy can help you .  

If someone is having a mental health crisis

Call 999 if you or someone you know:  

  • is close to acting on suicidal thoughts  
  • is worried about your/their safety  
  • in a  life threatening  situation  
  • has seriously  self harmed  and needs urgent help.  

Call your GP for an emergency appointment if you:  

  • experience a mental health problem for the first  time  
  • have an existing mental health condition that suddenly gets worse  
  • have  self harmed  but don't have a  life threatening  injury  
  • know someone who shows signs of early onset dementia  
  • experience, or know someone who suffers from  domestic violence or physical, sexual or emotional abuse .  

You can also call 111 out of GP surgery hours or  Samaritans  if you need confidential help immediately.  

If you have an urgent problem with your teeth

Call your dentist. If you need out of hours advice or treatment, your dental surgery  will usually have an answering machine with instructions on what you need to do in an emergency.  

If you  don't  have a dentist, please call 111.  They'll  put you in touch with a local emergency dental service.

Go to the Emergency Department only if your problem is serious , such as:  

  • severe pain  
  • heavy bleeding  
  • injuries to your face, mouth or teeth.