NHS services are here to help you - but the way that you use them will continue to feel slightly different as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact on local health services.
Infection control measures such as social distancing in waiting rooms, regular cleaning of clinical spaces, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) continue to remain in place in all healthcare settings. Face coverings continue to be required for all face-to-face healthcare appointments too.
If you need medical attention, your GP is your first point of contact for all non-emergency illnesses which you can’t treat yourself, and they will offer you a same day appointment when it’s urgent.
There are 85 GP practices in Liverpool. All are contactable Monday to Friday between 8am - 6.30pm (excluding bank holidays).
Here’s how to use them:
Most GP practices now offer eConsult, an online form you can fill out to get help and advice from your GP practice for non-urgent problems. You can also use it to request things like fit notes and repeat prescriptions.
Just fill in the eConsult form on your GP’s website and someone will be in touch.
For urgent advice from a GP when your practice is closed, you can call NHS 111 who can offer advice or refer you to a local out-of-hours GP if you need one.
The out-of-hours service is open Monday to Friday between 6.30pm to 8.00am, and 24 hours during weekends and bank holidays.
Walk-in Centres offer nurse-led treatment and/or advice for minor illnesses and injuries that you can't treat yourself at home.
All Liverpool walk-in centres are open between 8am - 8pm, seven days a week (including bank holidays) and offer treatment for both adults and children. No appointment needed - just walk in.
There are four walk-in centres in Liverpool – Old Swan NHS Walk-in Centre; Liverpool City Centre Walk-in Centre; Smithdown Children’s NHS Walk-in Centre; and South Liverpool NHS Walk-in Centre (Garston), which also provides X-ray facilities on site.
Find your nearest Walk-In Centre at: www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/liverpool/walk-centres
Pharmacists offer professional health advice on a wide range of common winter ailments and illnesses, and the best medicines for treating them, right on your local high street.
There are over 100 pharmacies in Liverpool and many of them are open from early until late, and also on weekends too. To find out the opening times for your nearest pharmacy, visit the NHS website.
Did you know that you can now access lots of treatments for minor conditions straight from a pharmacy – without needing a GP prescription or appointment first?
Under the Care at the Chemist scheme, you can access many over-the-counter medicines used for treating common conditions for free if you don’t pay for a prescription, and it may also still be cheaper even if you do.
Under Liverpool's new Pharmacy First scheme, you can also now get some prescription medicines such as antibiotics for treating some common conditions without needing to see a GP first too.
For more information, ask a member of staff at your local pharmacy.
When you need urgent medical help but it’s not a life-threatening situation, think NHS 111 first. This non-emergency health advice line is free to use and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Their team of trained clinicians and advisors are always on hand to offer health advice, or direct you to the right local health service if you’re not sure where to go.
They can also arrange appointments with an Out of Hours GP or A&E for those who need one too.
Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk at any time.
Worried about your child’s health? Alder Hey Children’s Hospital has a new online symptom checker to help parents and carers understand common symptoms in children, and when to seek further help such as a visit to their A&E department.
Go to www.alderhey.nhs.uk to try it out.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, it’s important to know where to go:
Adults - Mersey Care offers a 24/7 mental health crisis helpline for adults on 0800 145 6570 (freephone).
If you’re feeling mentally unwell but don’t require urgent help, please seek advice from your GP. For further help & advice on looking after your mental health and wellbeing, you can also visit: www.merseycare. nhs.uk
Children & young people - If you are a child or young person in crisis, or a parent or carer, call Alder Hey’s mental health crisis helpline on 0151 293 3577 (or 0808 196 3550 for freephone) at any time.
Please visit the Liverpool CAMHS Partnership website for all other help and advice.
There are A&E departments at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital or at Aintree University Hospital for adults, and at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for children and young people under the age of 16.
Each A&E department offers emergency care for serious and life-threatening situations, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
You can call 999 for an ambulance at any time when someone is seriously ill or injured, and you think their life is at risk.
The NHS app is a free and simple way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet, at a time that suits you.
You can use it to do things like:
Go to: www.nhs.uk/nhs-app or search for ‘NHS app’ in your app store now.
Did you know that getting vaccinated against preventable illnesses is the single, most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your children against ill health?
Cold weather can be seriously bad for your health. That's why it's important to look after yourself and do all you can to stay well yourself during the winter - especially important if you have a long-term condition, are aged 65 or over, or are a carer for someone else.
If you start to feel unwell, don't wait until it gets more serious. Seek help and advice right away. You can find lots more useful NHS help and advice on how to stay well here
Finally, don’t forget there are lots of common illnesses that you can manage yourself at home with a well-stocked medicine cabinet.
It should include:
