Using the right service

Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals and can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illness and also advise whether you should see a doctor.

You can call in to any pharmacy and ask to speak to the pharmacist without having to make an appointment.

Find more information visit How your pharmacy can help page on NHS website

Call 111 or visit NHS 111 online (NHS website) if you're feeling unwell, unsure if you need health advice and guidance in a non-life-threatening emergency.

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

General Practitioners (GPs) treat all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment.  

They focus on the health of the whole person combining physical, psychological and social aspects of care.  

If you would like to make an appointment with a GP please contact us via our Access Klinik service.

Minor Injury Units provide treatment for less serious injuries such as:

• cut, graze or wound.
• sprain, strain, muscle or joint injury.
• broken bone (fracture).
• skin complaint – bite or sting (including human bites), minor burns, including severe sunburn and minor skin infection which needs treating.
• emergency contraception.
• minor head injury.
• eye problem such as a minor eye infection, scratches or something that is stuck in your eye.

You do not need an appointment to be seen at a Minor Injury Unit, for more information please visit local Minor Injury Units page on Torbay and South Devon NHS website.

Accident and Emergency (A&E) is for serious injuries and life threatening emergencies.

Call 999 or go to A&E now for any of these:

Adults

• signs of a heart attack - chest pain, pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across the chest.
• signs of a stroke - 
  face dropping on one side, cannot hold both arms up, difficulty speaking.
• sudden confusion (delirium) - cannot be sure of own name or age.
• suicide attempt - by taking something or self-harming.
• severe difficulty breathing - not being able to get words out, choking or gasping.
• choking - on liquids or solids right now.
• heavy bleeding - spraying, pouring or enough to make a puddle.
• severe injuries - after a serious accident or assault.
• seizure (fit) - shaking or jerking because of a fit, or unconscious (cannot be woken up).
• sudden, rapid swelling - 
  of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue.

Children

• seizure (fit) - shaking or jerking because of a fit, or unconscious (cannot be woken up).
• choking - on liquids or solids now
• difficulty breathing - making grunting noises or sucking their stomach in under their ribcage.
• unable to stay awake - cannot keep their eyes open for more than a few seconds.
• blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, tongue or lips - on brown or black skin, grey or blue palms or soles of the feet.
• limp and floppy - their head falls to the side, backwards or forwards.
• heavy bleeding - spraying, pouring or enough to make a puddle.
• severe injuries - after a serious accident or assault.
• signs of a stroke - face dropping on one side, cannot hold both arms up, difficulty speaking.
• sudden rapid swelling - of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue.
• sudden confusion - agitation, odd behaviour or non-stop crying.

British Sign Language (BSL) speakers can make a BSL video call to 999.

Deaf people can use 18000 to contact 999 using text relay.

Find your nearest A&E on NHS website.