Out Of Hours Advice

What to do when you need to call the out of hours services

When ringing out of hours services, whether you are ringing for yourself or someone else, the procedure that several patients recommend is usually the same and we have made that available here. 

You may well be stressed, so prepare before you make the call as you will be asked various questions. You need also to be aware that out of hours (OOH) services including A&E do not have access to your medical records! Be prepared before you ring. This helps the medical team of course but mainly you!

Before you ring:

• List your symptoms
• If possible take your temperature, thermometers can be purchased quite cheaply and it is a good addition for your home first aid kit They can either be sterilised or may have disposable covers that can be used. 
• If you are diabetic, asthmatic, known hypertensive or have another condition and have testing equipment then take the readings you would normally take.

For patients that have requested (and been given) access to their records online

If you have online access to your medical records (just make notes if you don’t have a printer): 

• Print off a list of any allergies. 
• Print of a list of medications (tablet and medicines) write on any non prescription medicine you also take. 
• Go into ‘Consultations’ and print off relevant parts. Highlight or underline the relevant part. 
• Print off a list of your medical conditions. 
• Print off any relevant blood or other test results. 
• If you have a HealthSpace basic account (see opposite panel for details) record your blood sugars etc. and  print them off.

If you don’t have access to your medical records (ask yourself would this be useful and find out more):

The same information can be written down. If you have repeat medications you could take your request slip or take all your medications with you.

Now ring the Practice – Haughton Vale 0161 336 3005 / Thornley House  0161 367 7910

– the automatic message will give you the correct number to ring for both NHS Direct which is a nurse led telephone service or Go To Doc which is the emergency out of hours service for Oldham, Tameside and Glossop, manned by GPs and nurses. Remember this is an emergency service and should not be used because it’s more convenient than attending the Practice.

You may well be asked to attend the out of hours service rather than the doctor visit you. If you feel vulnerable in any way then let the service you are talking to know and they should respond accordingly. Go To Doc is now based in the new clinic at Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne (near the Asda roundabout). 

The information on this page would also apply if you or a member of your family need to visit the Accident and Emercncy (A&E) department of one of the hospitals.

All the information we have listed here may not be required but keep it with you in case it is needed by the doctor or whoever is treating you. Of course you will still receive the best possible treatment if you did not have the information with you but some things would obviously take longer and would be more stressful to you the patient or relative and you would also know that the information you provided was correct.