When We Are Closed
NHS 24 takes calls from practice patients who need urgent medical advice when their own surgery is closed. A nurse will give advice but if necessary will arrange for a doctor to see the patient. The service will operate from:18:00 to 08:00 MONDAY to FRIDAY and from 18:00 FRIDAY until 08:00 MONDAY. NHS 24 can be contacted on
08454 24 24 24
Please ring this number rather than your own surgery out of hours
This practice works in partnership with NHS 24 to extend the service you receive if you need medical advice at a time when the surgery is closed.
What are the benefits to me of this service?
NHS 24 will bring many benefits, such as round the clock health advice from highly qualified nurses, information about health services in this area , plus automatic links to out of hours GP services (GMED) and to ambulance and Accident and Emergency services if necessary.
NHS 24 will also be able to give information on health-related issues and details of local and national information services.
Should a doctor need to be involved, NHS 24 will contact GMED who will arrange for the patient to be seen at a Centre, or for the patient to be seen at home if medically necessary.
What will happen when I call 08454 24 24 24 number?
When you call the NHS 24 telephone number the person who answers will take your name and address. You will then be passed to a fully trained nurse who will ask you about your symptoms, or the symptoms of the person for whom you are calling. The nurse will assess the symptoms and then decide whether advice is all that is needed or whether a doctor should see the patient at a Centre or at home if medically necessary. In a serious or life threatening situation the nurse will arrange an ambulance for you.
Will a G-MED doctor still see me?
YES, if this is necessary. Patients who need to be seen by a GMED doctor will be. If you, or a member of the family, needs to be seen by a doctor when your surgery is closed, then NHS 24 will contact GMED. The nurse will already have taken details of the illness and the current symptoms. With you permission, the nurse will pass this information to GMED and arrange for the patient to be seen either at a GMED centre or, if medically necessary, at home. Going to a GMED Centre to see a doctor is accepted to be safe and makes best use of the doctor's time. If a child is so ill that hospital admission is required, the child will have to leave the house at some point, so the sooner the better. Patients who are terminally ill, too frail or so ill they cannot leave the house, will be visited at home, if necessary, by a doctor.
What if I'm not sure whether I need to see a doctor or not?
The advantage of having NHS 24 working with GMED is that you can call NHS 24 if you or someone you know is worried about a health-related problem but you're not sure if you need to see a doctor.
What are the benefits of G-MED and NHS 24 working together?
- NHS 24 has experienced nurses who can provide you with the reassurance and advice you need when you are worried or anxious about a health issue. In addition to being able to arrange for you to be seen by a doctor, they will be able to give you advice on whether you can treat the problem yourself, how to deal with a problem or situation until more help arrives, or direct you to a pharmacy that is convenient to your location or open out of hours.
- GMED will have more time to deal with the more serious illnesses and those that require a doctor to be involved. With NHS 24 answering calls, GMED doctors will have more time to deal with the more serious calls and home visits where necessary.
- NHS 24 will be there to provide information and general health advice round the clock, as well as advise on more urgent illness.
What information should I have ready when I call NHS 24?
As far as possible you should have details of the the illness clearly in your mind before making the call. Any medicines being taken should also be at hand or have a list of them ready as you will be asked about them
Should I still call 999 in an emergency?
YES. I someone is seriously ill, for example with chest pains, severe bleeding, serious difficulty in breathing, or has collapsed then you should dial 999 as you would normally expect to do.
What about a possible serious illness?
If you are unsure whether an illness is serious or not you can call NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24. NHS 24 will give you advice on what to do and will also arrange an ambulance and a doctor, if this proves necessary.
Should I call NHS 24 during the day?
NHS 24 is a 24 hour, 365 days a year service and you can contact it at any time. However NHS 24 will not be involved with making appointments for day-time surgeries. If you need to see a doctor, telephone the surgery as usual for an appointment or test result when the surgery is open. Please do not call NHS 24 for a repeat prescription. routine appointment or test result