NIGHT, WEEKEND & BANK/PUBLIC HOLIDAY COVER
Out of hours services are now provided by the Dorset Emergency Care Service. Patients may contact this service when the practice is closed via telephone by dialling 0845 600 10 13
This service is for urgent medical situations if you or a member of your family become ill and you are concerned. It is not for routine enquiries such as booking appointments, repeat prescriptions or test results.
When you ring the Dorset Emergency Care Service your call will go through to a call centre in St Leonards, Dorset. A trained member of staff will take some details from you and pass them over to a Doctor who will ring you back to ask more about the problem and decide the best option for you which may be advice over the telephone, ask you to attend a local treatment centre or a home visit by a doctor, nurse or emergency care practitioner. If the doctor feels the medical problem is an emergency they will call 999 on your behalf and an emergency ambulance will come to you.
ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY
The nearest major accident department is at Poole Hospital NHS Trust, Longfleet Road, Poole. Patients requiring stitches or x-ray as a result of injury should go directly to the hospital.
MINOR INJURIES
Victoria Hospital, Wimborne has a nurse-led minor injury unit open 8.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.
DENTISTS
It is important that parents ensure their children are registered with an NHS Dentist. Should you have difficulty finding a dentist, we suggest you contact the Family Health Service Agency on 01202 893000 for a list.
NHS Direct
In the case of urgent need when the practice is closed you can call
NHS Direct (0845 4647) to speak to a triage nurse. Your needs will be assessed and advice offered or arrangements made for you to see a doctor.
Please do not ask to see a doctor out of hours unless you genuinely cannot wait until the surgery re-opens.
Call 999 in an emergency. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.