Where you should go for help and advice
If you or your child feel unwell and ‘over the counter’ medicines are not helping, then don’t wait for it to get worse – speak to your GP and it may avoid a trip to hospital. Make sure that your medicine cabinet is stocked up with basics, such as paracetamol, plasters and a thermometer.
Keep a good supply of your regular medicines and if you need a repeat prescription you should contact your GP.
We need to use our A&E resources for the most seriously ill patients, so please ‘choose well’ by choosing the best health service for your condition. If it’s not too serious, you’re likely to be seen quicker elsewhere.
The sorts of symptoms you might have
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Headache, |
Self-care |
Many common illnesses can be treated at home with over-the-counter medicines, plenty of rest and regular fluids. Keep your medicine cabinet well stocked. |
| NHS 111 Service |
You can call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency. You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it's not a life-threatening situation. |
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| Pharmacist |
Ask your pharmacist for advice on the best medicines and treatments for minor ailments. |
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| Medical examinations, advice and prescriptions | GP | Contact your GP surgery for routine doctors appointments. An out-of-hours GP service is available when your surgery is closed. |
| Cuts, sprains, strains, minor burns, stings |
NHS walk-in centre or GP-led health centre | Walk-in centres are located in Woking, Weybridge and Ashford and no appointment is usually necessary. |
| Minor injuries units and urgent care or treatment centres | The closest minor injuries units are at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot and Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton. | |
| Serious injury, life threatening conditions | A&E or 999 | In an emergency or if you are seriously ill call 999 or go to A&E. Please only use these services if you really need them. |
Finding your local health services
Your GP
For details of your GP out-of-hours service (during the night and at weekends) you should call the usual phone number for your surgery and listen to the answerphone message.
Local Walk-in Centres
Woking Community HospitalHeathside Road Telephone: Open: |
Ashford Health CentreAshford Hospital Telephone: Open: |
Please note that some walk-in centres will not treat children under the age of two. They may also shut to new patients half an hour before the advertised closing time.
A&E
The emergency department is located at St. Peter’s Hospital. It should only be used if you are seriously ill or it is an emergency. Please note that there is not an A&E at Ashford Hospital. The Ashford walk-in centre is for non-urgent care only.
Frequently asked questions about coming to A&E
| If the treatment is the same everywhere, does it matter where I go? | Yes, because you will be treated more quickly if you go to the most appropriate place. In A&E, patients with the most urgent and life threatening conditions will always be seen first. Some services are not provided in A&E. These include repeat prescriptions, emergency dental care, blood tests, travel vaccinations, dressing changes, removal of stitches and ear syringing. |
| Surely A&E can just ‘squeeze me in’? | Each year, nearly 100,000 patients attend A&E at St. Peter’s Hospital and we estimate that around 18,000 of these could receive more appropriate treatment elsewhere. Each extra person means our doctors and nurses have less time to treat those who really need help. |
| If I get ill at night should I just go straight to A&E? | No, unless it’s an emergency or you are seriously unwell. A&E can be just as busy in the middle of the night so it is worth trying other services, such as your out-of-hours GP or NHS 111. |
| When should I bring my child to A&E? | If you think your child is seriously unwell, has had a significant injury or you have been advised by your doctor. Otherwise, you should see your GP for advice and treatment. For minor infections and injuries you can attend an NHS Walk in Centre (NB: some walk-in centres will not treat children under the age of two). |
Managing your Child’s Health
Want to know more about how to keep your child well? Read here to learn about the signs and symptoms to look out for, plus information on common childhood ailments and illnesses. Find out when you should seek help and where is the best place to go.
Healthy Surrey
The Healthy Surrey website was set up by the Surrey Health and Wellbeing Board to act as an online resource for Surrey health and well-being information.
Getting the Right Care, in the Right Place, at the Right Time
Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust want to ensure that the patients in our hospitals are only those who will and are continuing to need our care and treatment. This is because hospitals are best suited for treating those who are very unwell and need urgent and emergency care for serious and life-threatening symptoms.
We have developed this animation which details the range of services delivered by our partners across North West Surrey which can be accessed if you need healthcare and wellbeing support or treatment.
Should you need to receive care within a hospital setting, we will make every effort to get you to your usual place of residence as safely and as soon as possible. This animation also provides an overview of our discharge process so that our patients and their loved ones can be aware of what to expect when they are admitted into our care.
The winter months are a busy period for the NHS. We hope that this animation will be a useful tool for our local community so that they are able to access the right care, in the right place, at the right time, not only throughout winter, but all year round.
To watch the animation, please click here.
