When and where to get the right treatment
Your time is a precious thing. Hundreds of people use A&E every week for minor illnesses and aliments when another service would have treated them sooner.
Don’t waste your own time. Get the right treatment for you.
Self Care
Call NHS Direct on: 0845 46 47 for free and confidential advice and guidance from professional healthcare staff on how to get the right treatment for all kinds of non-emergency situations.
Pharmacy
Did you know that you can treat many minor illnesses and injuries without having to see a doctor at all? As well as dispensing prescriptions, pharmacists provide a range of services and provide ‘on the spot’ help and advice on minor ailments such as:
• coughs, colds or flu
• skin conditions
• allergies
• aches and pains like headaches, earache and backache
• indigestion
• diarrhoea
• minor cuts and bruises
• help losing weight or giving up smoking.
Don’t forget that pharmacists are trained health professionals and offer a convenient local service, opening on evenings and weekends.
GP
See a GP if you have a condition you or your pharmacist cannot treat, except in cases of chest pain, shortness of breath, massive bleeding or suspected stroke. If you are registered with a GP surgery you can access a range of services including:
• treatment for minor injuries, cuts, grazes and bruising
• health checks, screening and family planning advice
• referral to other specialist services
• prescriptions
• child health checks (post-natal health)
• immunisation and vaccines GP Out of Hours
If you need to see a doctor or nurse more urgently, and cannot wait until your GP is open again, you can also telephone Coventry - 0845 608 0275 or Warwickshire - 0300 130 30 40 between 6.30pm and 8.00am Monday to Friday, or any time on a weekend or Bank Holiday.
Urgent Care/Walk in Centre
NHS Urgent Care, Minor Injuries and Walk-in Centres give you fast access to health advice and treatment from experienced GPs and nurses on a range of minor illnesses and injuries, including:
• minor cuts and wound care
• muscle and joint injuries, strains and sprains
• skin complaints
• emergency contraception and contraceptive advice
• bites and stings
• stomach ache
Centres can be found at:
Coventry NHS Healthcare and Walk-in Centre, Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry, CV1 4FH Open 8am to 10pm, 365 days per year
Stratford-upon-Avon Hospital, Minor Injuries, Arden Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6NX Open 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week
Rugby Urgent Care Centre, Hospital of St Cross site, Barby Rd, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 5PX
You can simply walk in and wait to be seen.
Accident and Emergency (A&E)
A&E is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for immediate hospital attention due to a serious illness or injury. The rule is simple: Call 999 for an ambulance or take someone straight to A&E if it is an emergency or life-threatening situation.
An emergency includes things like:
• suspected heart attack or stroke
• suspected meningitis
• breathing difficulties
• chest pain
• unconsciousness
• heavy or uncontrolled bleeding
• suspected drug overdose
• sudden and severe headaches
• severe head injuries
• serious injuries such as impalement or stab wounds
• severe bone breaks, fractures or burns.
- GP
GP stands for General Practitioner. GPs are family doctors. - stroke
A stroke is caused by a disturbance of blood supply to the brain. Strokes are the leading cause of disability in the UK and the third most common cause of death after cancer and coronary heart disease.