When to call 999 for Adults
You should call 999 in a life-threatening emergency only. Life-threatening emergencies are different for adults and children.
Immediate action required:
Call 999 or go to A&E immediately for any of the following complaints:
- Signs of a heart attack
Chest pain, pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across the chest - Signs of a stroke
Face dropping on one side, cannot hold both arms up, difficulty speaking - Sudden confusion (delirium)
Cannot be sure of own name or age - Suicide attempt
By overdose or self-harming - Severe difficulty breathing
Not being able to get words out, choking or gasping - Choking
On liquids or solids right now - Heavy bleeding
Spraying, pouring or enough to make a puddle - Severe injuries
After a serious accident or assault - Seizure (fit)
Shaking or jerking because of a fit, or unconscious (cannot be woken up) - Sudden, rapid swelling
Of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue
British Sign Language (BSL) speakers can make a BSL video call to 999.
Deaf people can use 18000 to contact 999 using text relay.
When to call 999 for Children
You should call 999 in a life-threatening emergency only. Life-threatening emergencies are different for adults and children.
Immediate action required:
Call 999 or take your child to A&E now for any of these:
- Seizure (fit)
Shaking or jerking because of a fit, or unconscious (cannot be woken up) - Choking
On liquids or solids right now - Difficulty breathing
Making grunting noises or sucking their stomach in under their ribcage - Unable to stay awake
Cannot keep their eyes open for more than a few seconds - Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, tongue or lips
On brown or black skin, grey or blue palms or soles of the feet - Limp and floppy
Their head falls to the side, backwards or forwards - Heavy bleeding
Spraying, pouring or enough to make a puddle - Severe injuries
After a serious accident or assault - Signs of a stroke
Face dropping on one side, cannot hold both arms up, difficulty speaking - Sudden rapid swelling
Of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue - Sudden confusion
Agitation, odd behaviour or inconsolable crying
For further advice, visit the NHS website.
When to call 111
If you have a minor injury, illness or concern regarding your health in general, your first port of call should be your registered GP surgery. However, GP services can be very busy and are rarely accessible 24/7. Where you are unable to contact your own GP, you can access NHS 111 to speak to someone to signpost you to the most appropriate care pathway.
You can get help from the 111 service in a variety of ways:
The NHS 111 service call handler will signpost you to the best treatment provider for the condition you are calling about.
They may signpost you to:
- Call 999 or to go to A&E
- Go to an Urgent Treatment Centre/Minor Injuries Unit
- See an out of hours GP
- To book a nurse call-back appointment
- Get specialist advice (dental or mental health)
- See your own GP
- See a Pharmacist
- To treat yourself at home
When to go to A&E (Accident and Emergency)
These are the times when you don’t need to call 999 but you can take yourself, or someone you are helping, to A&E, if you are able:
- If there has been a loss of consciousness
- If the patient is in an acute confused state and they have experienced fits which aren’t stopping
- For chest pain
- If there are any breathing difficulties
- If you are unable to manage a wound with severe bleeding
- If there has been a severe allergic reaction
- If the patient has experienced severe burns or scalds
- If they appear to have suffered a stroke
- If they have experienced major trauma such as a road traffic accident
See further advice from the NHS.
When to visit an urgent treatment centre
Emergency Departments can be very busy places, with lots of people requiring immediate care. This can result in longer waiting times for those with minor conditions. Utilising Urgent Treatment Centres may provide you with local, accessible care that is more suitable to your minor condition.
When you or the person you are helping is not suffering from a life-threatening condition, the best advice would be to visit an Urgent Treatment Centre (may also be referred to as an Urgent Care or Minor Injuries Centre).
You may wish to contact NHS111 prior to attending an Urgent Treatment Centre, as some centres offer appointments that NHS healthcare professionals can access.
These centres can treat, or assist with, the following:
- Sprains and strains
- Suspected broken bones
- Cuts and bruises
- Wound dressing
- Stomach pain
- Coughs, colds and minor breathing problems
- Vomiting and diarrhoea
- Skin infections and rashes
- High temperatures in adults and children
- Mental health concerns
These units will also be able to signpost you if they are unable to assist with your condition.
Most of these units operate a walk-in service however may not be manned 24 hours a day so check opening times for your local services before attending.
For more information, visit the NHS website.
When to see a GP
Your GP surgery can help with all non-emergency medical problems or questions you need answering. Ideally, a GP should coordinate the overall medical care of their patients. If you need GP help outside of their operating hours, contact NHS 111.
GPs treat a wide range of mild, chronic and acute medical conditions, including:
- Infections
- Minor injuries
- Exacerbation of chronic problems
- Chronic illness management, whether medical, surgical or psychiatric
- Diabetes
- Thyroid disease
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart disease
- Angina
- Atrial fibrillation
- Heart failure
- Dementia
- Mental Health concerns
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Asthma
- Emphysema (COPD)
- Mild kidney failure
- Strokes
- Multiple sclerosis
- Preventive Medicine
- Travel advice
- Contraception
When to use a pharmacy
Pharmacists can offer advice and over-the-counter medication to help with a range of common conditions, such as coughs, colds and the flu, as well as day-to-day issues, such as aches, pains and skin rashes.
You don’t need to make an appointment to see a pharmacist and they will let you know if you need to see a doctor.
Here are four ways your pharmacist can help you:
- Support with minor ailments - Pharmacists can offer advice and over-the-counter medication to help with a range of common conditions and minor injuries. You can see them for help with typical Winter ailments such as coughs, colds and the flu, as well as day-to-day issues, such as aches, pains, skin rashes and cystitis. Many pharmacists can also help with access to the morning after pill, pregnancy tests, and needle exchange services. You don’t need to make an appointment to see a pharmacist and they will let you know if you need to see a doctor.
- Help with your medication - If you have a question about medicine you’ve been prescribed or that you’ve bought over the counter, speak to your pharmacist. They are experts in how to use medicines safely. People starting a new medicine to treat a long-term condition may be able to seek extra help from their local pharmacist through the New Medicine Service (NMS). This free scheme offers support over several weeks when you try a medicine for the first time. The NMS is only available for those taking certain medicines. Visit NHS Choices for more information. If you’re taking lots of different medicines, you may be able to have a Medicines Use Review (MUR) with your pharmacist. This will help you work out when you should be taking your medication and discuss any questions or side effects. A MUR is a free service conducted in a private consultation room in the pharmacy and a written record will be given to you and your GP.
- Repeat prescriptions - Save yourself a trip to your GP by asking your pharmacist to manage your repeat prescriptions for you. If you take medication on a regular basis and your condition is stable, your GP may be able to offer a long-term repeat prescription so that your pharmacist can supply your medicine at regular intervals. In the event that you experience problems with your medicine, tell your pharmacist and they can consult your GP. Speak to your doctor to find out what is possible for your medication.
- Help to live a healthy life - As well as helping you tackle ailments when they happen, pharmacists can also help you to have a healthy lifestyle. Rather than visiting your GP, go to your local pharmacy for advice on how to keep your family well. You can talk to them about how to eat healthily, lose weight, and the types of exercise you could be doing. Pharmacists can also help you to stop smoking. They offer nicotine replacements, such as gum, patches or other medicines, as well as regular check-ins to help you stay motivated.
For further advice, see the NHS' pharmacy page.
