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Many conditions can be treated without the need to see your GP.

Please use the NHS Symptom checker

Please make a selection to reveal who's best to deal with your condition.

You can often take care of your health conditions without needing to see us. Many minor illnesses and injuries can be treated at home with medicines you can buy without a prescription and by getting plenty of rest. Taking care of yourself is the best choice for a sore throat, cough, or a grazed knee.

If you're not sure if you should take care of your illness yourself, you can call us on 01536 518 886 or get medical advice from from the NHS 111 website or call 111

Patients can now get treatment for seven common conditions directly from their local pharmacy, without the need for a GP appointment or prescription.
The Pharmacy First scheme was launched by the government and NHS England to give patients quick and accessible care and ease pressure on GP services. Pharmacists can now treat and prescribe medication for the following common conditions and ailments:

• Earache – 1 to 17 years
• Impetigo – 1 year and older
• Infected insect bites – 1 year and older
• Shingles – 18 years and older
• Sinusitis – 12 years and over
• Sore throat – 5 years and over
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections – Women 16 to 64 years

You can get treatment for these conditions by visiting the pharmacy or contacting them virtually. 

GP receptionists, NHS 111 and providers of emergency care will also be able to direct patients to pharmacies, that offer the service, if contacted.

For more information please see the Department of Health and Social Care website

Pharmacists can also can provide advice and over-the-counter medication for various common conditions such as coughs, colds, flu, as well as everyday issues like aches, pains, and skin rashes. No appointment is necessary to see a pharmacist, and they will let you know if you need to see a doctor. Many pharmacies are open evenings and weekends, and often provide private consultation rooms where you can discuss issues without being overheard.

To find your nearest pharmacy and check opening times, visit the NHS find a pharmacy service

A doctor's 'fit note' (sometimes called a 'sick note') can only be supplied after you've been ill for more than 7 days in a row and have taken sick leave. This includes non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays.

To find out more about self-certification, or to apply for a sick note please visit our sickness certificate page

If your condition is non-urgent, you have the option to book a routine appointment up to four weeks in advance with a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional. Nurses based at our practice treat patients for a wide range of common conditions. Let us know if more than one person in the family needs to be seen; we can give you a longer appointment if necessary. Tell us if you want someone to accompany you during an examination or need a private room to discuss any matters.

Ways to book a routine appointment:

• Use Anima
• Telephone: 01536 518 886
• Visit in person

If you have an acute medical issue or feel you need to be seen urgently, please call us on 01536 204 154 or visit in person.

Find information about practice opening and closing times

When you call, our receptionist will ask for a brief description of your acute medical issue and a contact number. Every one of our calls is prioritised based on clinical urgency and need; an appointment may be booked, or a clinician may call you back at a pre-arranged time to discuss the best course of action. Depending on the nature of your medical issue, resolving it over the phone may be possible, or if needed, we'll arrange an appointment later in the day.

If you are using Anima, simply follow the on-screen instructions and answer the multiple-choice questions in the online form. Anima prioritises each form based on clinical urgency and need using the information you provide. This will help us ensure you get the right help, whether it's self-care advice, a prescription ready for pickup at your chosen pharmacy, an in-person appointment at the practice, or something else.

Whether you call or use Anima, we make sure patients are seen by the most appropriate clinician in the most appropriate time frame for the presenting medical issue.

Ways to request an urgent appointment (same day):

• Use Anima
• Telephone: 01536 518 886
• Visit in person

Telephone: 01536 518 886

While we encourage our patients to come to the surgery where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. If you feel that you do need a home visit please call our Reception team to request one before 10.30am.

You should only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please note that the doctor may telephone you rather than visit you if this is medically appropriate.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP.

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please give us as much notice as possible so that your appointment can be offered to someone else.

If you are cancelling please telephone us on 01536 518 886 as soon as possible, and at least 30 minutes before your appointment time. This will enable us to offer your appointment to someone else.

You can cancel online either by submitting an admin request via Anima or else using SystmOnline if you are signed up to the service

Cancellations notified less than 30 minutes before the appointment time will be recorded as failure to attend (DNA).

Patient Information: Non-attendance of appointments
When appointments are not attended it has an impact on other patients and means clinician time is wasted.

At Headlands Surgery we have a policy of monitoring patients who consistently fail to attend booked appointments. We ask that all patients contact us to cancel their appointment if they are unable to attend. Appointments can be cancelled by telephone, online and via text message by replying to your reminder text.

If you fail to attend 4 or more appointments in a 12 month period then you may receive a letter from the surgery to inform you that further non-attendance of appointments can lead to you being asked to register at another practice. If further appointments are missed you will be asked to register at another practice within 4 weeks.  Guidance will be provided to help you find another practice in the local area.

If our services are unavailable, you can get medical advice from the NHS 111 website or call 111. This service will direct you to the most appropriate local healthcare option.

NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls to NHS 111 are free from landlines and mobile phones.

Information about NHS 111 is available in different formats like large print, easy read, audio recording or British Sign Language (BSL) or you can contact NHS Digital directly 

If you require urgent medical attention that isn't life-threatening, you can go to an urgent treatment centre. These centres, led by GPs, are open for at least 12 hours every day, including bank holidays. They can diagnose and treat various common ailments including sprains and strains, suspected broken limbs, minor head injuries, cuts and grazes, minor scalds and burns, feverish illness in adults, feverish illness in children, and abdominal pain.

To find your nearest urgent treatment centre and check opening times, visit 'find an urgent treatment centre'

Visit an A&E department (also known as the emergency department or casualty) for genuine life-threatening emergencies. These may include conditions such as loss of consciousness, an acute confused state, fits that are not stopping, chest pain, and breathing difficulties.

Less severe injuries can be treated at urgent care centres.

To find your nearest A&E, visit 'find an A&E'