Signposting

 

DO I NEED TO SEE MY GP OR WOULD SOMEONE ELSE BE MORE APPROPRIATE?

 

The wait for a GP can be long

 

Seeing someone else can make your wait for advice much quicker and also reduce the demand for GP appointments

 

DID YOU KNOW?

 

• Pharmacists

  Did you know that pharmacists can help advise and treat you for a number of common conditions, such as:

  Acne                                                                Mouth ulcers

  Athletes Foot                                                Bites and stings

  Conjunctivitis                                                Chickenpox

  Coughs, colds & sore throats                     Cold sores

  Constipation > 10 & Diarrhoea                  Dry Eyes

  Haemorrhoids                                               Hayfever

  Head Lice                                                        Nappy Rash, Teething, Colic

  Oral Thrush                                                    Analgesia

  Ringworm                                                       Scabies

  Skin conditions/rashes                                Threadworms

  Vaginal Thrush

   

   

• Physiotherapists

   

  Did you know you can self-refer to physio without even seeing your Doctor for any musculoskeletal condition ie back pain, shoulder pain.

   

  All you need to do is go online Self-Referral Physio
  or ask reception for a referral form.

   

  If you think you may need painkillers, then you can first consult the pharmacist but if you have severe pain or new worrying symptoms then please make an emergency appointment with the GP.

   

    

   

• Urgent Treatment Centre (formally known as Minor Injuries Unit) at Royal South Hants

   

  Can provide a fast, convenient service for those who have a minor injury or illness that are non-life threatening.

   

  
  

  The wait is often much shorter than the Emergency Department which should only be attended for genuine emergencies.

  
  

   What we treat

           For adults and children, we are able to:

 

Stitch and close wounds                                                                     

 

Remove splinters

 

Remove foreign bodies from ears, noses etc            

 

Dress minor wounds, cuts and grazes        

 

Xray arms and legs                                                                            

 

Apply plaster of paris to broken limbs

 

Sprains and strains                                                                             

 

Broken bones to arms, lower leg and feet

 

Wound infections                                                                               

 

Minor burns

 

Minor head injuries                                                                           

 

Insect and animal bites

 

Minor eye injuries                                                                             

 

Minor injuries to back, shoulder and chest

 

Treat minor illnesses /  fevers – such as coughs/urinary tract infections.  

 

• Emergency Department – ED or 999

   

  ED is for genuine emergencies ONLY including:

   

  Chest pain (particularly >age 40)              Difficulty in breathing

  Unconscious / difficult in rousing             Suspected stroke

  Sudden vision loss                                        Fitting

       Unwell child – floppy/drowsy/difficulty breathing

       Severe Bleeding

 

       Suspected Spinal Injury                                Head injury

 

       Severe allergic reaction – especially if tongue or lip swelling or   shortness of breath

 

        Fracture                                                    Sprain with loss of limb function

 

        New Traumatic Injury                            Severe Headache

 

        Nose bleed lasting >20minutes           Collapse / Blacking out

 

        Major burn or scald                                Road Traffic Incident

 

        Poisoning                              

 

 

Adult Social Care – please look online for services available or contact 02380 833003  

 

Did you know you can refer yourself or a loved one without seeing a GP or Practice Nurse  

• The service aims to assist you to live as independently as possible. In order to make this happen they provide a range of services for adult residents with long and short term health and care needs.

 

Social services works with other organisations to make sure that you have access to the services that you need. They also offer advice and support to carers and relatives of people needing or receiving our services.

 

Support that can be offered include:

 

Meals on wheels

 

CAREline

 

Adult social care packages

 

Link you with various charities and community support.

 

Equipment for help at home

 

Respite

 

Blue badges – you no longer need to see your GP for this. Please contact the council.

 

 

• Hospital Appointments

 

Sometimes you may be experiencing some confusion with regard to your hospital appointment or if no appointments are available, the hospital may direct you see your GP. Or you may have seen your hospital consultant who has arranged for you to have investigations but you haven’t heard. These options below may be helpful. Please DO NOT make a GP appointment for this.

 

1. Contact the administration team at the hospital – their number should be on the letter you received.

2. Not able to make the hospital appt as told none available – please ring the surgery and ask to speak to our secretary before 2pm each day who should be able to help you.

3. For tests you believe the hospital are arranging for you or for results of these tests – please ring the specialities office / secretary who should be able to help you. If not, please ring the surgery and ask to speak to our secretary who should be able to help direct you.

 

•  Mental Health

  You can self-refer to Steps to Wellbeing our local mental health support service without seeing a GP.  Telephone on 0800 6127000 or 02380 272000 or via their website

   

  However – we understand that many mental health conditions can be very distressing and we would of course be very happy to see you at the surgery should you feel you need to. This is especially for severe depression or if you feel suicidal or have thoughts of harming yourself.

   

  Did you know 111 now also has a mental health practitioner available to speak to.

   

  You can also speak to Samaritans free if you need someone to talk to on 116 123

   

   

• Emergency GP appointments

   

  These are for genuine emergency problems that you do not feel can wait, not for problems that you have had for a long time but you do not want to wait for a routine appointment.

   

  Did you know there are other ways in which to liaise with your GP?

   

• E-Consult

  If you are not sure if you need to see a GP or wish for some advice, you can use e-consult and we aim to respond to you within 48-72hours.

   

  If you go to the surgery website and look half way down on the home page you will see the link. Sometimes you will find the answers to your problems without having to take it any further.

   

  You can also use e-consult to request a sick note and have already been seen for this condition

   

• Telephone appointments

  Many queries can be dealt with by a telephone appointment rather than seeing the GP face to face.

 

For example: medication reviews, to discuss test results such at blood test and xrays. If you are unsure if this can be dealt with over the telephone, then please ask the receptionist when making your appointment.