Our Practice is closed between 18:30 and 08:30am Monday to Friday, and at lunchtime between 1pm and 2pm and throughout weekends until 08:30 on Mondays (or Tuesday during bank holidays). Some pre-arranged clinics run outside of these hours.
Out of Hours Emergencies
When the practice is closed, there is an out of hours emergency medical service available at all times. This service is meant for urgent and emergency problems and should not be used to avoid the inconvenience of consulting during the day. If you need out of hours help, you should telephone 111 which is a free-phone number nationwide. Trained staff located at the call control centre will handle your enquiry.
On dialling 111 a team of fully trained advisers and experienced nurses will assess your condition and direct you to the local service that can help you best, when you need it. That could be your GP surgery, an out of hours GP, A&E, a local urgent care centre, emergency dentist or a late opening pharmacist. The 111 service is in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Remember the Out of Hours Service is for urgent problems only. Please do not contact the service for a second opinion or for anything which can wait until the next working day.
If you have a minor ailment you could visit your local pharmacy who will be able to provide you with some help or signpost you onto the next available service.
In a genuine emergency you should call 999. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.
NHS 111 BSL
The NHS 111 service is available for deaf people to contact 111 medical staff. Fully qualified and experienced interpreters. This is for use when:
- You need help quickly, but it is NOT an emergency;
- You think you might need to go to A&E but are not in imminent danger
- You don’t know who to contact, or your GP is not available;
- You need health information or advice on what to do next.
How To Make Contact
Go to Interpreter Now – NHS 111. Click on Connect – a BSL interpreter will appear on your screen.
Making contact in BSL is easy. You can do it from any computer, and almost all tablets and mobile phones.
Mental Health Crisis?
You should call 999 or go to A&E if you, or someone you know, experiences a life-threatening medical or mental health emergency. These are cases where there is immediate danger to life or physical injury. A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a medical emergency. If you feel like you may be close to acting on suicidal thoughts or have seriously harmed yourself, you should call 999 or go to A&E directly if you need immediate help and are worried about your safety.
Further guidance & help
Patient Guide self care Pathway
HERTS URGENT CARE
Herts Urgent Care (HUC) operates after surgery hours from 6.30pm to 8.00am on weekdays, and continuously from 6.30pm on a Friday evening to 8.00am on a Monday morning. HUC also covers Bank Holidays and provides a service for patients with urgent medical needs that cannot wait until their GP practice is next open. To access the service all patients should phone 111.
When you call 111 the service undertakes a clinical assessment of your needs and will assess whether your call requires discussion with a GP. If you need to speak with a doctor, see a doctor at one of our Primary Care Centers, or have a home visit arranged, the doctor will call you back. Our nearest Primary Care Centre is at Elstree Way Clinic.
MINOR INJURIES UNIT
If your injury is not serious you can get help from a minor injuries unit (MIU) rather than an A&E department. By doing so you allow A&E staff to concentrate on people with serious and life threatening conditions and saves yourself a potentially long wait. They deal with:
- Sprains and strains
- Wound infections
- Minor burns and scalds
- Minor head injuries
- Insect bites
- Animal bites
- Minor eye injuries
- Injuries to the back, shoulder and chest
WALK IN CENTRES
NHS Walk in Centres (WIC) is usually managed by a nurse and is available to everyone. Patients do not need an
appointment. Most centres are open 365 days a year and outside office hours. Some newly opened
centres may offer different opening hours during their first few months. They can see:
- Infection and Rashes,
- Fractures and Lacerations,
- Emergency contraception and advice,
- Stomach upsets,
- Cuts and Bruises,
- Burns and Strains
ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY
This is for SERIOUS illness or injuries that require IMMEDIATE attention. The basic cost for just attending A&E is £57.00. We will still be charged a levy for patients who attend and then do not wait to be seen. Use A&E or 999 for major accident, broken bones, breathing problems, severe chest pains, unconsciousness, suspected stroke and severe blood loss
LOCAL CENTRES:
Out of hours (Herts Urgent Care – HUC): The service operates from 6.30pm to 8.00am on weekdays, and continuously from 6.30pm on a Friday evening to 8.00am on a Monday morning. Please ring 111.
- Urgent Care Centre (UCC) Barnet General Hospital: Wellhouse Lane, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN5 3DJ
- Minor Injury Unit: St Albans City Hospital – Open 9am – 8pm, every day – Can see adults and children aged two and over.
- Edgware NHS Walk in Centre: Edgware Community Hospital: Burnt Oak Broadway, London, Middlesex HA8 0AD
- Finchley NHS Walk in Centre: Finchley Memorial Hospital – Granville Rd, London N12 0JE