• Call 111, or visit 111 online - https://111.nhs.uk/ to use the symptom checker to receive advice and guidance on where to get help and support
• Visit the NHS Website 
• Contact your local pharmacist - who can offer services to help you to manage minor illness

• Common colds can last 7-10 days, but often longer for smokers.  
• Flu symptoms usually go away in 5 days but you still may feel weak for days after
• Ear infections typically last 4 days
• Sore throats typically last 7 days
• Sinusitis typically lasts 18 days
• Cough/bronchitis typically lasts 21 days

Most minor illnesses get better without antibiotics because your body can usually fight these infections on its own.  Antibiotics only work for infections which are caused by a bacteria.

If you are troubled with your symptoms with any of the above, please contact your pharmacy first.

However, if you still require our help, we have a number of options available, outlined below.

How can we help?

The best way to contact the Practice is via our Online Consultation service. 

The care navigation and clinical triage team will assess your request to ensure you are seen by the right person, at the right time. It is therefore important to ensure you give accurate information on your Online Consultation or on the phone to our team. This then helps us to prioritise patients clinical need and ensures you are treated by the most appropriate clinician within the most appropriate time frame.

You will usually receive a response from the Practice the same working day. We will respond by text or phone call, whichever is the most appropriate.

If you are unable to use the Online Consultation service, please call us on 01228 529171 and speak to a member of our Care Navigation Team whom will take the details of your request and submit it to the clinical team for assessment. Calling us may take longer than submitting an Online Consultation, call wait times may be longer during peak times. 

For life threatening emergencies and serious accidents dial 999.

Long term condition appointments

If you have a long term or ongoing health condition you will be invited to attend the Practice periodically for review. If you think you are due a review and have not yet been contacted, please contact us via the Online Consultation service. If you have several long term conditions we can synchronise your review appointments so that you make a minimum number of visits to the surgery. 

We have a number of different clinical staff working together at the surgery including doctors, nurses, specialist nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and health care assistants. Your care will be overseen by your named accountable GP.

There are  a number of self-help options available  (including self referral for a range of common conditions e.g physiotherapy, counselling). These are described in more detail in the self help section of this website. If in doubt, visit the Online Consultation service for further information or speak to a member of our Care Navigation Team.