If you need quick medical advice about an urgent medical concern that isn’t life-threatening emergency, you can phone the NHS number 111.
For less urgent health needs you should contact your GP or local pharmacist.
What happens when you call 111
The NHS 111 service is free and there for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
When you call, a trained professional will talk to you about your symptoms.
Depending on your situation, they may then:
- advise you to go to A&E
- connect you to a nurse, emergency dentist or GP
- arrange a face-to-face appointment if they think you need one
- assess if you need an ambulance and send one out if needed
When to call the NHS helpline
You should call 111 if you:
- need some medical advice quickly
- have symptoms and you'd like someone to explain what to do next
If it's an emergency - call 999 immediately.
How to contact NHS 111
You can contact 111 by:
- using the online 111 service
- phoning 111 from a mobile or landline
- entering 18001 111 into Typetalk or textphone
- using the British Sign Language video call service