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Get the right help

This is one of three support pages helping you to get the right help at the right time. Use the navigation below to switch between each page or check the current page contents.

ABOUT THIS PRINTOUT

This is the print version of the page at ivy.gs/get-help and is therefore limited in functionality. We encourage you to try and access this page online or ask a relative or friend to access the page on your behalf.

 

Have you got a life-threatening emergency?

HEART ATTACK STROKE HYPOTHERMIA FITS ETC

Certain conditions should not come anywhere near a GP. This is not because we don't want you to bother us, but because you need immediate emergency care in a hospital for a potentially life-threatening condition.

Life-threatening conditions Emergency conditions
Call a 999 ambulance for these conditions
ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK BLEEDING, HEAVY BREATHLESS, SEVERE BURNS, SEVERE CHEST PAIN, SUSPECTED HEART ATTACK CHOKING DROWNING FITS, SEIZURE, UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING HYPO, LOW BLOOD SUGAR HYPOTHERMIA LACERATIONS, DEEP MENINGITIS, SUSPECTED SELF-HARM, IMMINENT SUICIDE RISK STROKE, SUSPECTED UNCONSCIOUS
Go to A&E for these conditions
ABDO PAIN, SUDDEN, SEVERE BLINDNESS, SUDDEN BREATHLESS, MODERATE-SEVERE BROKEN BONES FLOPPY UNRESPONSIVE BABY CHOKING HEAD INJURY LETHARGIC DROWSY CHILD NOSE BLEED, NOT STOPPING OVERDOSE SWALLOWED FOREIGN BODY
 

Are you seriously ill?

SHIVERS CHILLS HIGH FEVER LETHARGIC CONFUSED ETC

Fortunately, most people who contact the GP are not seriously ill. However, if you think that you are seriously ill, please visit our page and find out what to do.

Please contact us if you have any of these features
STOPPED DOING MOST THINGS UNRESPONSIVE DIFFICULT TO ROUSE DISORIENTATED RAPIDLY WORSENING ACUTE CONDITION OR ACUTE WORSENING OF LONG-TERM CONDITION HIGH TEMPERATURE UNCONTROLLABLE CHILLS PERSISTENT VOMITING NOT DRINKING OR PEEING MUCH NOT EATING AT ALL SEVERE BREATHLESSNESS SEVERE PAIN
I think I am seriously ill
 

Do you have symptoms of possible cancer?

BLEEDING CHANGE IN BOWEL HABIT LUMPS WEIGHT LOSS ETC

If you are worried that you might have cancer, or have cancer symptoms, please visit our cancer red flag symptoms page and find out what to do.

Please contact us if you have any of these symptoms
BLACK, STICKY, TARRY POO BLOOD IN POO BLOOD IN URINE BONY PAIN BREAST LUMP BRUISING OR BLEEDING, UNEXPLAINED CHANGE IN BOWEL HABIT COUGH, PERSISTENT COUGHING UP BLOOD DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING HEADACHES, PROGRESSIVE, PERSISTENT HOARSENESS, PERSISTENT JAUNDICE (YELLOW SKIN) LOSS OF APPETITE LUMPS, NEW MOLE, CHANGING NIPPLE CHANGES RECTAL BLEEDING SWEATING, NIGHT-TIME SWOLLEN ABDOMEN ULCERS OR WHITE/RED PATCHES, PERSISTENT URINE INFECTION IN MEN VAGINAL BLEEDING, UNEXPECTED OR AFTER MENOPAUSE WEIGHT LOSS, UNINTENTIONAL WORSENING BRAIN FUNCTION
I am worried about cancer
 

Do you need help for your mental health?

ANGER ANXIETY BEREAVEMENT DEPRESSION MOOD DISTURBANCE OCDPANIC PHOBIA PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA STRESS

There is a Derbyshire-wide 24 hour, 7 days a week, 365 days a year helpline manned by mental health practitioners to help and support any patient who may be struggling with their mental health. You will be given advice and also signposted where necessary. Call the Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline on 0800 028 0077.

Lots of other support is available on our mental health support page.

Ring Mental Health Helpline 0800 028 0077 Mental health support page Counselling services Recommended mental health leaflets
 

Are you or is someone you know at imminent risk of self-harm?

SUICIDAL OVERDOSE SELF-HARM

Call 999, or go to A&E now if your or someone else's life is at immediate risk - for example you have seriously injured yourself or are going to, or you have taken an overdose or you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe.

Please seek help if you are in a crisis
RING US RING 111 RING 999 RING SAMARITANS XXXX GO TO A&E SPEAK TO YOUR COUNSELLOR RING YOUR CPN RING CRISIS TEAM (IF UNDER THEIR CARE) SPEAK TO TRUSTED FRIEND OR RELATIVE

For other options, please see our mental health support page.

What you can do in a crisis Mental health support page
 

Do you need repeat medication?

There are options for requesting a repeat prescription without coming into the building. We recommend calling the Medicines Order Line (MOL) on 01246 942751 to order your repeat, or use online Patient Access.

How to get your repeat prescription:
DROP OFF YOUR REPEAT SLIP SEND US A STAMPED ADDRESSED ENVELOPE USE ONLINE PATIENT ACCESS EMAIL: SDERCCG.PRESCRIPTIONS.IVYGROVE@NHS.NET GET A RELATIVE/FRIEND TO APPLY FOR PROXY ONLINE PATIENT ACCESS USE NHS APP RING MEDICINES ORDER LINE 0115 855 0260
Ways to get your medication Ring MOL 01246 942751 MOL leaflet Login to Patient Access
 

Can you self-care for your condition?

MOST MINOR ILLNESS

Many conditions presenting to the GP are actually self-limiting (get better by themselves) or are of a minor nature that can respond to self-care or help from the pharmacist. For instance, most earache, sore throats, coughs and colds can be managed quite safely at home.

Your pharmacy can give advice and treatment for most minor ailments and should you feel you still need urgent same day care (but are not seriously ill) you can always attend an urgent treatment centre (UTC) 8am-8pm 7 days a week.

The following example conditions are amenable to self-care:
CATARRH CHICKENPOX CONJUNCTIVITIS COUGHS AND COLDS DANDRUFF DIARRHOEA AND VOMITING EARACHE FLU FOOD POISONING GASTROENTERITIS HANGOVER ITCHING MINOR GRAZES AND INJURIES NOSE BLEEDS OBESITY SUNBURN VIRAL ILLNESS SORE THROAT SUNBURN THRUSH URINE INFECTION VAGINAL DISCHARGE

The nearest Urgent Treatment Centre is Ripley Hospital 01773 743456, but there is also one at Ilkeston Hospital 0115 930 5522 and Derby 01332 224700.

Official self-care leaflet Self-care for your condition Get help from the pharmacy Get same day urgent care from UTC Self-care forum factsheets Antibiotics don't work for viruses
 

Do you need physiotherapy?

BACK PAIN EXERCISE AND REHAB ADVICE GAIT PROBLEMS JOINT PROBLEMS MOBILITY ISSUES MUSCLE PROBLEMS NECK PAIN POSTURE ADVICE SHOULDER PAIN SKELETAL PROBLEMS SOFT TISSUE INJURIES SPORTS INJURIES

You can speak to and see a physio at Physio Direct for any joint, neck or back problem without speaking to a GP first. Physio Direct is an appropriate first port of call and the physio can escalate onto hospital services if appropriate. Please call Physio Direct on 01246 565050.

If you feel your case is more urgent, quicker appointments (often same or next day) can be obtained by booking in with the First Contact Physio service, which will assess your condition, and investigate, make recommendations, including on pain relief and refer on as needed. To book with First Contact Physio, please ring us.

Get help from a physio
 

Do you need social services?

ABUSE CONCERNS (ANY AGE) AIDS AT HOME BENEFITS HELP CARERS AT HOME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESPITE CARE SAFEGUARDING WELFARE RIGHTS

Social services help with any of the above issues and can be contacted directly without having to go via a GP first. Call Derbyshire Social Services on 01629 533190.

PLEASE NOTE: Anyone, whether that be a member of the public or a professional, who has safeguarding or abuse concerns regarding the welfare of an adult or child, has a duty to report those concerns to social services - it does not need to go via a GP first.

Get help from social services Get help from a care co-ordinator Get help from a social prescriber
 

Can you refer yourself to another service?

You can speak to and see almost every other health professional working in the NHS without having to go through the GP first.

Please self-refer to any of these services

Click any of the buttons below to be taken to the services page to find out what they do and how to reach them.

If you do not have internet access and cannot find contact details of the service you need please get in touch with us.

AMBULANCE ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY URGENT CARE CENTRE MINOR INJURIES UNIT ALCOHOL SERVICES DRUG SERVICES AMBER VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL CARE CO-ORDINATOR CARERS SUPPORT WORKER CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU COMMUNITY MATRON CONTINENCE ADVISORY SERVICE COUNSELLING DENTIST DISTRICT NURSE EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION FAMILY PLANNING SERVICE HEALTH VISITOR HEARING (AUDIOLOGY) MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MIDWIFE MOBILITY SERVICE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY OPTICIAN PHARMACY PHYSIOTHERAPIST PODIATRY (FOOT/CHIROPODY) SCHOOL NURSE SEXUAL ABUSE SERVICE SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICES (STIs, FAMILY PLANNING) SMOKING CESSATION SOCIAL PRESCRIBER SOCIAL SERVICES

Check the full list of services which you can self-refer to, along with full contact details:

Self-refer to another service Meet the entire GP team
 

Do you need family planning services?

CHLAMYDIA TESTING CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS COILS CONDOM SUPPLY EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION IMPLANTS INJECTIONS LUMPS, BUMPS AND WARTS, DIAGNOSIS PILLS PREGNANCY CONCERNS PREGNANCY TESTS PRECONCEPTION ADVICE PSYCHOSEXUAL COUNSELLING RELATIONSHIP ADVICE STERILISATION ADVICE STI COUNSELLING AND TESTING TERMINATION ADVICE

Any queries regarding family planning, including pills, coils and implants, sexually transmitted conditions, lumps, bumps and warts can be directed to the family planning / sexual health service on 0800 328 3383.

Sexual health service
 

Do you need help with a hospital issue?

At the current time, hospitals have been ordered to be more mindful of their impact on passing work through to GPs, and therefore they should be carrying out all prescription requests, fit (sick) note requests, blood test requests and other items of work that usually and very inappropriately land on GPs' desks.

If you have a query regarding any aspect of hospital care, please contact the hospital directly. The best way to do this is to go via your consultant's secretary - we regret that we do not have the resources to call on your behalf.

PLEASE NOTE: In line with this guidance, if you call regarding hospital-related care, we will advise you as above. Any inappropriate tasks, for instance, in outpatient letters, that is transferred to the GPs and which is actually within the remit of hospital care will also be returned back to the hospital.

Extract from current guidance: "All NHS trusts, including secondary, community and mental health providers, will need to make alternative arrangements for prescription and sick note requests that are usually sent to primary care."

Please contact your consultant's secretary to resolve these
HOSPITAL TEST APPOINTMENTS HOSPITAL RESULTS QUERIES REGARDING HOSPITAL CARE HOSPITAL PRESCRIPTIONS FIT NOTES AFTER HOSPITAL CARE
Issues with hospital care Expediting hospital appointments
 

Do you need a nurse?

DRESSINGS HORMONE/CANCER INJECTIONS CHILD IMMS WARFARIN BLOODS ETC

Our nurses are continuing to provide care for long term conditions and nursing procedures.

Please contact us for these nurse procedures
24 HOUR BP MACHINE CLOZARIL MONITORING DECAPEPTYL INJECTION DENOSUMAB INJECTION DEPO CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION DRESSINGS REQUESTED BY GP ECG REQUESTED BY GP CHILD IMMS NEBIDO INJECTION PNEUMOVAX PROSTAP / ZOLADEX INJECTION REMOVAL OF SUTURES SHINGLES VACCINE SMEARS (IF DUE) SWABS REQUESTED BY GP WARFARIN/INR MONITORING WHOOPING COUGH VACC PREGNANT WOMEN
What our nurses do
 

I still have a problem not answered above

Please bear in mind that during this national covid vaccination booster campaign, we are working in an extremely pressured environment, booking boosters, and seeing to those who are sicker than average.

Therefore if you ring us, please be aware that the phones will be extremely busy, there will be a delay in answering your call, and in line with recognised guidance, we may signpost you elsewhere.

We kindly ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

RING 111 FOR ADVICE RING US FOR ADVICE
NHS health A-Z Ring 111 for advice Use 111 online

Our entire website remains online as a source of advice and support. Our most popular pages are below.

How we are working during covid Coronavirus advice Covid vaccs Current covid boosters campaign Symptom checker Meet the GP team Winter illness

You might also find these downloads and links helpful:

Patient.info directory Top ten tips for winter poster Get the right help for your condition leaflet