How to get urgent NHS help

If you need urgent help, but aren’t sure what to do, contact NHS 111 by visiting 111.nhs.uk, using the NHS App, or by calling 111.

NHS 111 can assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, including urgent treatment centres, GP practices, and consultations with a pharmacist. 

If needed it can arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic or provide self-treatment advice over the phone. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you have a hearing problem, call 18001 111 using the Relay UK app or a textphone. To access the British Sign Language (BSL) video service, go to signvideo.co.uk/nhs111. If you need help in another language, call 111 and ask for an interpreter.

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital has developed an online symptom checker to help parents and carers understand their poorly child’s symptoms and what they can do for them.

Using the Symptom Checker will help you decide where best to get the right care for your child. Get started at: www.alderhey.nhs.uk/conditions/symptoms-checker.

Urgent treatment centres and walk-in centres provide same-day medical help for minor illnesses or injuries when it’s not a life-threatening emergency. 

You can search for appointments via NHS 111, or check opening times here.

Your local pharmacy can provide expert advice on a range of health issues. They can also provide some medicines and treatments without the need for a prescription from your GP. Find out more about the Pharmacy First service.

To find your nearest pharmacy and check their opening times, visit www.nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy.

GP surgeries can offer appointments with a range of health professionals including a GP, nurse, clinical pharmacist or physiotherapist, depending on your situation.

Many GP practices allow you to book an appointment via their website or the NHS App, as well as by phoning up. Appointments may be face to face, over the phone or online. 

If you live in England and are aged 18 or over, you can access NHS talking therapies services for anxiety and depression.

A GP can refer you, or you can refer yourself directly without a referral by finding your nearest NHS talking therapies service.

If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option to talk to a professional. 

You can also ring your local 24/7 mental health crisis helpline:

• Liverpool and Sefton (ages 16 and over): 0800 145 6570
• Liverpool and Sefton (under 18s): 0808 196 3550
• Halton, Knowsley, St Helens and Warrington (all ages): 0800 051 1508
• Cheshire and Wirral (all ages): 0800 145 6485

If you need urgent dental help or advice, please contact your usual dentist in the first instance. 

If your dental practice is closed, or you aren’t registered at one, you can call the urgent dental helpline for Cheshire and Merseyside on 0161 476 9651.

The NHS App lets you access a range of NHS services, such as managing your repeat prescriptions and viewing your GP health record, straight from your smartphone or tablet. 

You can download the NHS App via Google play or the App store, or access the same services in a web browser by logging in through the NHS website. 

For more advice on how to stay well this winter, such as getting your winter vaccines if eligible, and coping in cold weather, visit www.nhs.uk/staywell.