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What to do if you become unwell

View Healthcare and local services available across West Yorkshire here. 

It’s important that you know how to get help if needed especially out of hours, during the bank holidays or if you are travelling away from home. 

Help you and your family stay well. Preparing in advance is a good idea.

 

Repeat prescription medication

  • Make sure that you’ve got enough prescription medication left, and try to follow the advice below to keep yourself or people you care for well. Read more about emergency prescriptions and prescription saving schemes below. 

 

Choose well 

  • A&E departments will prioritise those with life-threatening illness or injury, for example chest pain, breathing difficulties, sudden numbness or weakness, bleeding that cannot be stopped or broken bones.
  • Patients with less serious conditions may experience a long wait to be seen in our emergency departments.
  • If you become unwell help the NHS and yourself by choosing the right service most appropriate for your needs.

 

Community pharmacies 

  • Ask for help from experts at your local pharmacy. Pharmacists are trained medical professionals and can often help you with advice and over the counter medicine for minor ailments and illnesses.
  • Community pharmacies can offer treatment and when appropriate some prescription medicine, for seven common conditions without patients needing to see a GP.
  • Some pharmacies open on bank holidays. Check the opening times of your local pharmacy here.

 

GP practices 

  • If you need urgent medical help but it’s not an emergency, contact your GP practice as normal when open. Contact NHS 111 through their online service.

 

NHS 111

  • NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be accessed online or by phone. If you are unsure which service you need, or want to speak to a trained expert, then call 111 or go online at 111.nhs.uk.,If you are in a life-threatening situation Please remember that if you have a medical emergency, such as a suspected heart attack, stroke, or other serious life-threatening condition, to call 999.

Parents and carers

  • The West Yorkshire Healthier Together  website gives consistent, accurate and trustworthy healthcare advice to parents, carers, young people and professionals. The information on the site has been reviewed  by local paediatricians, GPs and clinicians.
  • For trustworthy healthcare advice for parents and carers.  Visit www.wyhealthiertogether.nhs.uk

 

Mental health 

  • Looking after your mind is as important as looking after your body. It’s important that you get support if you’re feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or lonely. Sometimes it could be a case of just reaching out to someone you know and having a chat. If anyone finds, they are struggling with their mental health, support is always available across West Yorkshire by visting Mental health – NHS – Together We Can. For urgent help in a mental health crisis call NHS 111, option 2 for 24 hr support. 

Dental access 

  • Dentistry services, like other parts of primary care, are
    under significant pressure and facing a number of challenges and access to NHS dental services is a key concern for many people. For more information visit:     dental services in West Yorkshire frequently asked questions. 

  • If you develop an urgent dental issue, telephone any NHS practice during normal working hours and explain the nature of the dental problem so that they can understand the urgency of the treatment needed. 

  • The NHS 111 health advisor will assess your situation, and if you have a clinical need for urgent treatment, they will make an appointment at the nearest urgent dental care service. If the issue is not assessed to be urgent, you will be directed to another NHS dental practice and/or given self-care advice until you can get an appointment.

  • If the practice cannot offer an appointment because their appointment slots have already been taken up, they will advise you to ring another NHS dental practice or alternatively visit www.111.nhs or call 111.

Prescription medication 

  • Check your medicine cabinet. Find out what you should be keeping in your home medicine cabinet 
  • Check your repeat prescriptions. Order any repeat prescriptions you require in time to ensure you have adequate provision especially over the bank holiday or if you are travelling away from home. 
  • GP practices usually require 48 hours’ notice to organise a repeat prescription. You can also order your repeat prescriptions via the NHS App. The NHS App is available on the App Store and on Google Play.

 

Emergency prescriptions

If you have run out of prescribed medicine and need some urgently, there are a few ways to get an emergency supply, including out of hours. Find out more by Visiting the NHS website. 

 

Prescription saving schemes

  • If you live with a long-term condition, you may be able to save money on your prescriptions
  • A Prescription Prepayment Certificate will save you money if you pay for more than three items in three months, or 11 items in 12 months.
  • If you are on a low income, you could be entitled to help with NHS costs or free prescriptions depending on your circumstances. Check if you’re eligible for help using the online eligibility checker. It only takes a few minutes.
  • Find out more about Prescription Prepayment Certificates at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppc
  • Check if you’re eligible for help with prescription costs by using the online eligibility checker at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check
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