See a Doctor or Healthcare Professional

A range of common illnesses such as cold and flu and minor injuries can be treated at home simply by combining a well-stocked medicine cabinet with plenty of rest.

Your medicine cabinet – What you should stock

Examples of the ailments best treated by yourself are:

• Upset stomach
• Grazed knee
• Common cold
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Colds & Flu

There is a wide variety of helpful Self Care information and resources which could help you to treat your illness without the need for an appointment:

Visit a pharmacy for healthcare advice without an appointment

Your local pharmacist is able to help with minor cuts, sprains, aches and pains, colds and flu, headaches, rashes, cystitis, emergency contraceptive (most pharmacies now offer this service) and other common conditions.

No appointment is necessary and your local pharmacist is open late, is available at weekends and many public holidays. It will also save you making an appointment with your GP.

New Medicine Service

The New Medicine Service is available at pharmacies to give you extra help and advice if you’re just starting on a new medicine for one of the following conditions:

• asthma
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• type 2 diabetes
• high blood pressure
• people who have been given a new blood-thinning medicine

More about the New Medicine Service.

Whatever your eye problem your first port of call should be an optometrist. An optometrist is the best person to assess urgent eye problems, check for eye disorders and treat eye conditions. They have the professional training and necessary equipment to assess most eye problems.

If your optician is closed and you can’t wait until it reopens call 111

If you sustain an eye injury that requires immediate emergency treatment go to your nearest Accident and Emergency.

For dental emergencies, call the dentist with whom you are registered. You should receive a recorded message advising you of the arrangements that have been made for emergency cover. If you have not registered with a dentist, please try to do so as soon as possible. Dentist’s can perform an appropriate assessment and advise on necessary intervention including use of any antibiotics.

If you require emergency treatment, you should contact NHS 111

Dental emergencies are: acute dental pain, facial or oral swelling, bleeding from the mouth or trauma.

Call 111

Call 111 when we are closed to speak to an NHS professional on any urgent health or medical issue.

Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.

We are working to improve access to appointments for our patients, in particular at evenings and weekends. 

If you would like to be offered one of these appointments, please ask at reception. These appointments will be at Poole General Hospital.

If you have an emergency please call 999

Medical emergencies can include:

• loss of consciousness
• an acute confused state
• fits that aren’t stopping
• chest pain
• breathing difficulties
• severe bleeding that can’t be stopped
• severe allergic reactions
• severe burns or scalds

It’s important to use A&E only for serious injuries and major emergencies.

If you or someone you know needs help with day-to-day living because of illness or disability, this website explains your options and where you can get support.

Steps2 wellbeing can help – The Steps to Wellbeing Service is a free, confidential, NHS service for to people aged 18+.  A service across the county of Dorset and in Southampton for people registered at either a Dorset or Southampton GP surgery, accepting self-referrals by web  and telephone.

Telephone: 0300 7900 542

Office hours: 9:00 – 17:00 Monday – Friday

You can email us at: [email protected]

Need to talk urgently and in confidence?

If you feel you need to talk to someone in confidence, the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on:

Tel: 116 123 

(TEXT MESSAGE ONLY number available on 07725 909090)
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.samaritans.org

There are also local Samaritans branches across Hampshire and Dorset.

Antenatal Care

If you are more than six weeks pregnant you can now book your maternity care directly with Poole Hospital’s maternity services by filling in a self-referral form.

For all other queries regarding your maternity care, you should call the community midwifery team on 

01202 442692 in the first instance.

Pregnancy and Baby: Advice

Am I pregnant? What should I be eating? Is it normal to be this tired? How can I help my partner during labour? Whatever you want to know about getting pregnant, being pregnant or caring for your new baby, you should find it here. Pregnancy Advice

Please note: If heavily bleeding please attend your nearest Accident and Emergency Department.

Sexual Health Dorset is composed of three Sexual Health Service NHS providers in Dorset (Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital, and Dorset County Hospital) who provide contraceptive and sexual health services across the county.

Telephone for appointments only : 0300 303 1948

Our services include:

• Information and advice about sexual health,
• Testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections,
• Pregnancy testing and advice,
• Psychosexual Service,
•Working Woman’s project,
• Sex and Relationship Education Service,
• Early Medical Termination Service,
• Provision of emergency hormonal contraception,
• Information and advice about contraception methods,
• Management of complex genito-urinary conditions,
• LGBT outreach clinic (Over The Rainbow in Bournemouth),
• Management of thrush and other genital problems,
• Management of pelvic pain,
• Follow-up and testing after sexual assault,
• Hepatitis B vaccination,
• HPV vaccination.

You can go straight to your named Health Visitor for advice and guidance on issues such as:

• Growth & development of your baby / child
• Childhood conditions, allergies and infections
• Breastfeeding, bottle feeding and weaning
• Teething
• Post-natal depression and parental mental and physical health
• Child behaviour issues e.g. sleeping, eating, tantrums
• Support with parenting, family health and relationship

Please call the Health Visiting Team on 01929 550586

Use your local minor injuries unit if you need medical treatment or advice which does not need a visit to A&E or a medical appointment.

Some examples of problems they deal with:

• sprains and strains
• suspected broken limbs
• minor head injuries
• cuts and grazes
• bites and stings
• minor scalds and burns
• ear and throat infections
• skin infections and rashes
• eye problems
• coughs and colds
• feverish illness in adults
• feverish illness in children
• abdominal pain
• vomiting and diarrhoea
• emergency contraception

See a Nurse about: blood pressure checks, cold, rash, urine infection, cervical smears, dressings, family planning advice, repeat contraceptives, minor injuries and ailments, immunisations, asthma care, COPD (heart) care, smoking cessation, removal of stitches and clips etc.

Call the surgery on 01929 554490 to arrange an appointment with a nurse.

Some patients, often those with complex and long-standing medical problems, may need an appointment with a doctor.

Call the surgery on 01929 554490 to arrange an appointment with a doctor