Self care
If you have a cough, cold, headache or other minor ailment try treating yourself at home first. Find out more about treatments for common minor ailments.
Please remember that self-care for common conditions can help free up our GPs’ time, making it easier to get an appointment when you have a more serious condition.
GPs
We try to keep our GP appointments for patients with more serious health problems. Before you book an appointment to see a doctor please consider whether an appointment with another member of the practice team might be appropriate. They can help you with a wide range of medical problems.
Our receptionists can help you decide which is the right person for you to see. We use Care Navigation in our practice. When a patient contacts the practice for an appointment, the receptionist will ask for a brief outline of the problem so they can identify the patient’s need and therefore allow the receptionist to refer to information about services in the practice, other NHS providers and the wider care and support sector. Where appropriate, they will direct the patient to these services. You won’t be asked to divulge any personal or confidential information and you can refuse of course, the option is yours and you will never be refused a GP appointment.
Please be assured that if you need to see a GP, you will get to see a GP. Our Receptionists will never try to diagnose your problem or offer you clinical advice; this new way of working is about offering you the choice to see other health professionals who will be more appropriate than the GP, and who may often be able to see you quicker and easier.
Their goal is to ensure that patients get the right care at the right time in the right place with the right outcome. For example, when a patient presents with symptoms that would be better dealt with by another service such as a pharmacist or optician, patients can be confidently offered these choices, allowing them to go straight to the service which best meets their health and wellbeing needs.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals and can give you confidential health advice for a range of common illnesses and complaints.
Don’t wait for a GP appointment for coughs, colds, aches and pains. Just call your local pharmacy a call or drop in – there’s no need to make an appointment.
Your pharmacists can also help you decide if you need to see a doctor or nurse.
Click here for more information about how pharmacies can help you.
Out of hours
For emergency medical assistance between 6.00pm and 8.00am please ring 01943 830367 and you will be redirected to the duty doctor. The night/weekend/ public holiday duties are covered by Local Care Direct, based at Airedale General Hospital.
NHS 111
111 is the free NHS non-emergency number.
You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation.
Call 111 if:
- you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency
- you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
- you don’t know who to call or you don’t have a GP to call
- you need health information or reassurance about what to do next
Click here for more information about how NHS 111 can help you.
A&E
A&E is for life-threatening accidents and emergencies only. Before you go there, ask yourself, “Is it a real emergency?”
If not, please consider using other local health services before you visit A&E.
