Choose well
Where you should go for help and advice
Choosing well for help and advice ensures you receive the right care at the right time and that emergency medical care is available to those people who need it the most.
If you or your child feel unwell and 'over the counter' medicines are not helping, then don't wait for it to get worse - speak to your GP and it may avoid a trip to hospital. Make sure that your medicine cabinet is stocked up with basics, such as paracetamol, plasters and a thermometer.
You should make an appointment to see your GP if you think you have a mental illness. Mental health services are free on the NHS, but you will usually need a referral from your GP to access them. There are some mental health services that will allow people to refer themselves for help. This commonly includes services for drug and alcohol problems, as well as some psychological therapy services.
For routine, urgent and emergency referrals, information and advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days per year call - 0800 0234 650
Self-care
A lot of common conditions can be treated by you at home. If you've got a cold or a sore throat for instance, you should take an over-the-counter medicine and get plenty of rest. We recommend keeping in your medicine cabinet paracetamol or aspirin, antidiarrhoea medicine, rehydration mixture, indigestion remedy, plasters and a thermometer. That way you'll be ready for any minor illness or injury that you or your family may suffer.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are experts in medicines who can help you with minor health concerns. As qualified healthcare professionals, they can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains.
Pharmacies can be found across the country. Your local pharmacist can give you advice on illnesses and the medicines you need to treat them.
Visit a pharmacist when you are suffering from a common health problem which does not require being seen by a nurse or doctor.
NHS 111
NHS 111 can assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, including urgent treatment centres, GP practices, urgent dental care or consultations with a pharmacist. If needed, it can arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic.
NHS 111 is an easy and convenient way to get urgent help for a wide range of health problems from the comfort of your own home.
Using the NHS 111 service could save you a trip to A&E. It is estimated that up to two-fifths of A&E attendances are avoidable or could be better treated elsewhere.
People should still call 999 or go to A&E in an emergency - when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
The NHS 111 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can call, go online or use the NHS App to get:
- the right healthcare in your area for instance; or
- a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic; or
- advice on self-care.
People should call 111 to speak to someone if they need to:
- discuss complex medical problems
- discuss worries about a long-term condition
- get medical advice for a child under five.
Also, if you or someone else is experiencing a mental health crisis you can call NHS 111 and select the mental health option for 24-hour urgent mental health advice and support.
People who need help in another language can call 111 and ask for an interpreter, British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact 111 using the NHS 111 BSL interpreter service by visiting 111.nhs.uk, and text relay users can call 18001 111.
If you need urgent medical help, use 111 to get assessed and directed to the right place for you. Call, go online or use the NHS App
GP (doctor)
GP surgeries can be found across London and are usually the first contact if you have a health problem. They can treat many conditions and give health advice. They can also refer you to other NHS services. In an emergency, a GP can also visit your home outside of opening hours - if you need this service, telephone your local surgery and follow the recorded instructions.
Make an appointment with your local GP when you have an illness or injury that will not go away.
For details of your GP out-of-hours service (during the night and at weekends) you should call the usual phone number for your surgery and listen to the answerphone message.
How to register with a GP surgery
NHS Urgent Care Service
Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) - Our UTC is equipped to diagnose and deal with many of the most common injuries and ailments that people have when they attend the ED. The service will be provided by emergency practitioners, GPs, emergency medicine clinicians and registered nurses.
A&E or 999
If you are injured or seriously ill, you can go to the Emergency Department by yourself or get friends/family to take you. In an emergency, dial 999 and ask for an ambulance. If you are not sure if it is an emergency, call 111 for NHS telephone service when you need medical help fast, but when it isn't a 999 emergency.
Our Emergency Department (A&E) is located at Hillingdon Hospital. Please note that there is not an A&E at Mount Vernon Hospital.