Get the right care first time

Feeling under the weather?

Try self-care – A well-stocked and secure medicine cabinet will help you treat many common illnesses.  Colds, coughs, indigestion and many other minor complaints can all be treated with medicines available over the counter.  Always follow the instructions on the medicine label, and consult your doctor if the illness continues or becomes more severe.

Read more: Feeling under the weather?

Need advice for minor health problems?

Speak to your pharmacist – Your nearest pharmacy can give on-the-spot advice and sells remedies for a wide range of problems including stomach upsets, aches and pains, allergies, coughs and colds. 

Read more: Need advice for minor health problems?

Have a minor illness or injury?

You can go to an NHS walk-in centre. At the NHS walk-in centre at London Road, Nottingham; the 8am-8pm Health Centre on Upper Parliament Street and Clifton Nurse Access Point in the Clifton Cornerstone, you can see an experienced nurse for treatment of minor injuries and illnesses.

Need advice on a health problem?

NHS 111 – when it’s less urgent than 999

NHS 111 is a new telephone service to make it easier for you to access local health services. If you live in Nottingham City, you can now call 111 when you need help fast, but it isn’t a 999 emergency.

Read more: Need advice on a health problem?

NHS Direct

You can also call NHS Direct 24 hours a day on 0845 4647 for a confidential nurse-led telephone assessment and advice service that can point you in the right direction for further treatment. A health information text phone service for the deaf and hard of hearing is available on 0845 606 4647.

Health information is also available online at www.nhs.uk.

Do you need to speak to a doctor?

Call your GP for an appointment. You can still call your GP out of normal hours and your call will be handled by the out-of-hours service. There is also a GP-led health centre on Upper Parliament Street in the City centre which is open from 8am to 8pm every day of the year and offers GP and nurse services without an appointment.

Have you got a health problem that won’t go away?

Please speak to your GP. If you aren’t registered with a GP and want to get registered, go the NHS Choices website or call 0800 183 0456 (for Nottingham City) or 0800 028 3693 (for Nottinghamshire County) for details of practices in your area.

Do you need to see a dentist?

You should call your usual dentist for an appointment. If you need urgent NHS dentistry out of normal hours, please phone the dedicated NHS Direct helpline on 0845 603 1407 and speak to a dental nurse.  You will be assessed and directed to an appropriate service. This could either be a specialist out-of-hours dental service or a dental practice.

In addition, an emergency dental service is available most days of the week at the Nottingham NHS Walk-in Centre on London Road.  Phone NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or use www.nhs.uk to find opening times.

Is it an emergency?

An emergency is a serious injury or life-threatening problem such as loss of consciousness, severe breathing difficulty, heavy bleeding, severe chest pain, suspected broken bones, deep wounds (e.g. stab wounds), swallowing something harmful or poisonous or a drug overdose.

In an emergency you should call 999 for an ambulance to go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department.

Remember that A&E and 999 should only be used in emergencies - using them for minor problems or because you have no transport puts other people’s lives at risk.  Arriving at A&E by ambulance does not give you priority over other patients with similar problems who have come by car or public transport.