If you need to see a GP outside normal opening hours, the Out of Hours service is available Mondays to Fridays between 6.30pm and 8am, and 24 hours a day on weekends and bank holidays.

This service is only for patients whose condition cannot safely wait until the next working day and who need advice or treatment from a doctor or nurse.

It can be reached by calling the NHS 111 urgent care telephone service. You'll be asked questions to decide if:

• your problem can wait until your surgery next opens
• your problem can be dealt with over the phone by a nurse or doctor
• you need to attend one of the clinical bases 
• you need an emergency ambulance 

If your condition is not urgent, you may be referred to another service, advised to visit a phramacist or asked to contact your surgery during normal opening hours. 

Advice over the phone

Most cases can be dealt with over the phone. Your call will be passed to a nurse or doctor for advice. Keep your line free when you're waiting for a call back. Have your NHS card and your medicines with you when you make contact and bring them if you are invited to see a doctor or nurse.

Attending a clinical base

If your problem can’t be resolved over the phone, you'll be invited to attend one of the clinical bases. It's safe to bring an unwell child if the doctor or nurse asks you to attend.

There are currently four GP Out of Hours bases in Northamptonshire for face to face appointments in addition to telephone and home visiting. Two of these bases are moving as follows:

• From Prospect House, Kettering, to a location near to the A&E department at Kettering General Hospital (approx 1/2 mile away). This move will be effective from Monday 11 December 2017. 
• Northampton General Hospital – transfer from Highfield on the hospital site to a location near the A&E department. This move will be effective from Tuesday 9 January 2018. 

No changes will be made to the locations of the remaining two bases at Danetre Hospital, Daventry and Isebrook Hospital, Wellingborough.

There is no change to how the GP Out of Hours service operates. Anyone who needs help outside core GP hours should call 111. Those who require a face-to-face appointment with the GP Out of Hours service will still be booked in by the 111 team.

The Out of Hours service can also treat minor injuries such as cuts, sprains and strains, broken bones (fractures), splinters, bites and stings, infected wounds, minor bumps to the head, minor eye infections, foreign bodies and scratches, minor burns and scalds, and nose injuries.

Home visits are only for patients who are terminally ill, truly housebound, frail and seriously unwell, or whose medical condition would deterioriate during a car journey. 

Always ask yourself first if you can wait for your surgery to re-open. 

Your pharmacist...

...is an expert on medicines and qualified to give advice on common complaints, such as coughs, colds, flu, sore throats aches and pains. If the pharmcist assesses that you need urgent care, they can contact the Out of Hours service directly. 

Emergency contraception...     

...if you need the ‘morning after pill’, you'll find that many pharmacies sell this over the counter after a consultation with the pharmacist. Some can provide it on the NHS.

Repeat prescriptions...

...if you run out of medication when the surgery is closed, always contact your usual pharmacist who will advise you and may be able to issue the medicine you require.

Dental emergencies

If you have an urgent dental problem and can't wait until your surgery is next open, contact your nearest NHS 8 to 8 Dental Centre which is open from 8.00am to 8.00pm 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including bank holidays): 

• Corby -  01536 401925
• Daventry - 01327 310793
• Kettering - 01536 525436
• Northampton - 01604 639296
• Wellingborough - 01933 224462

You can also call NHS 111 about a dental problem. For more information on local dental services, click here.

If you suffer a minor injury when your surgery is closed, you can visit Corby Urgent Care Centre - open 8am-8pm every day, details here. 

Accident & Emergency and 999 are for serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies only.

Northamptonshire Out of Hours is provided by Integrated Care 24 Limited. More information about them is available at http://www.ic24.org.uk/