See a Doctor or Healthcare Professional

A range of common illnesses such as cold and flu and minor injuries can be treated at home simply by combining a well-stocked medicine cabinet with plenty of rest.

Examples of the ailments best treated by yourself are:

• Upset stomach
• Grazed knee
• Common cold
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Colds & Flu

There are a wide variety of helpful Self Care information and resources available which could help you to treat your illness without the need for an appointment:

Visit a Pharmacy for healthcare advice without an appointment

It is estimated that every year, 50 million visits to the GP are made for minor ailments such as coughs and colds, mild eczema, and athlete’s foot. By visiting your pharmacy instead, you could save yourself time and trouble.

Your local Pharmacist is able to help with minor cuts, sprains, aches and pains, colds and flu, headaches, rashes, cystitis, emergency contraceptive (most Pharmacies now offer this service) and other common conditions.

No appointment is necessary and your local Pharmacist is usually open late, is available at weekends and many public holidays. It will also save you making an appointment with your GP.

New Medicine Service

The New Medicine Service is available at Pharmacies to give you extra help and advice if you’re just starting on a new medicine for one of the following conditions:

• asthma
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• type 2 diabetes
• high blood pressure
• people who have been given a new blood-thinning medicine

More about the New Medicine Service.

Treat Yourself Better

We support the campaign to encourage people to self-treat minor ailments such as colds and flu. The Treat Yourself Better Without Antibiotics website is full of information to help people understand when how long they can expect their symptoms to last for, when they need to see a doctor and when they would be better off visiting their local pharmacist for advice. 

Whatever your eye problem your first port of call should be an optometrist. An optometrist is the best person to assess urgent eye problems, check for eye disorders and treat eye conditions. They have the professional training and necessary equipment to assess most eye problems.

If your optician is closed and you can’t wait until it reopens call 111

If you sustain an eye injury that requires immediate emergency treatment go to your nearest Accident and Emergency.

Refer yourself today

You can access the Southend Maternity Clinic direct without the need to see your GP. There are many health benefits for you and your baby if you access Maternity Care as soon as you have a positive pregnancy test.

The Pregnancy Booking Line can be accessed by calling 01702 385393, alternatively you can email: The Pregnancy booking line

Our website contains lots of useful information and advice about Pregnancy.

If heavily bleeding please attend your nearest Accident and Emergency Department!

We provide free, confidential, non-judgemental service available to the people of Essex regardless of sex, age, ethnic origin and sexual orientation.

Our expertise means everyone can expect appropriate, effective advice and care to benefit their sexual health. Our clinics are run by a team of doctors, nurses and health advisers, offering the following services:

• Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs/STDs) in-clinic and online.
• HIV testing via ‘Test at Home’ feature, (Finger prick test available at Basildon Clinic).
• eC-Card Scheme (free condoms for young people).
• Chlamydia screening.
• Pregnancy tests.
• Most forms of contraception.
• Emergency contraception/morning after pill.
• General sexual health advice, counselling and support.

The service runs an appointment only system to ensure people see the most appropriate person for their needs without a significant wait.  

The intelligence centre opening times:

• Monday to Friday – 8 am to 8 pm (Closed bank holidays).  
• Saturday – 8 am to 1 pm

Call the Intelligence Centre today on 0300 003 1212

Note: Clinic opening times will be different, please check the individual clinic information for details.

Out of hours

Seek advice from NHS 111, contact them by telephone on 111 or visiting NHS 111 Online 

For dental emergencies, call the dentist with whom you are registered. You should receive a recorded message advising you of the arrangements that have been made for emergency cover. If you have not registered with a dentist, please try to do so as soon as possible. Dentist’s can perform an appropriate assessment and advise on necessary intervention including use of any antibiotics.

If you require emergency treatment, you should contact NHS 111

Dental emergencies are: acute dental pain, facial or oral swelling, bleeding from the mouth or trauma.

If you or someone you know needs help with day-to-day living because of illness or disability, this website explains your options and where you can get support.

Call 111

Call 111 when we are closed to speak to an NHS professional on any urgent health or medical issue.

Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.

Urgent Care Centre

Urgent treatment centres are a facility you can go to if you need urgent medical attention, but it’s not a life-threatening situation. 

At the moment, the NHS offers a mix of walk-in centres, urgent care centres, minor injury units and urgent treatment centres, all with different levels of service.

If you have an emergency please call 999

Medical emergencies can include:

• loss of consciousness
• an acute confused state
• fits that aren’t stopping
• chest pain
• breathing difficulties
• severe bleeding that can’t be stopped
• severe allergic reactions
• severe burns or scalds

It’s important to use A&E only for serious injuries and major emergencies.

For patients registered at participating surgeries in Rochford, Rayleigh, Benfleet & Canvey.

You can request us to make appointments for you to be seen by a GP on Saturdays and Sundays via our Receptionists, (during Monday to Friday’s Surgery hours) who will try to book an appointment for you, via our remote Booking Service.

Monday  to Friday  6:30pm-8:00pm

For patients registered at participating surgeries in Rochford, Rayleigh, Benfleet & Canvey.

Monday to Friday  6:30pm-8pm

This is not a walk in service – contact your own surgery to book an appointment.

Use your local minor injuries unit if you need medical treatment or advice which does not need a visit to A&E or a medical appointment.

Some examples of problems they deal with:

• sprains and strains
• suspected broken limbs
• minor head injuries
• cuts and grazes
• bites and stings
• minor scalds and burns
• ear and throat infections
• skin infections and rashes
• eye problems
• coughs and colds
• feverish illness in adults
• feverish illness in children
• abdominal pain
• vomiting and diarrhoea
• emergency contraception

The Practice Nurse is usually able to assess the situation and in some cases will organise initial blood tests and other investigations prior to arranging a follow up appointment with your doctor.

The Practice Nurse complements the service that we offer to you, our patients. Please be assured that a doctor’s appointment will always be available should you prefer but you may get an earlier appointment if you opt to consult with the Practice Nurse.

See a Nurse about: blood pressure checks, urine infection, cervical smears, dressings, family planning advice, contraceptives, minor injuries and ailments, immunisations, diabetes management, asthma care, COPD (heart) care, smoking cessation, free health checks for 40-70 year olds, travel advice, removal of stitches and clips etc.

Call the surgery on 01268 510520 to arrange an appointment with a nurse and you may be seen more quickly.

Some patients, often those with complex and long-standing medical problems, may need an appointment with a doctor.

Call the surgery on 01268 510520 to arrange an appointment with a doctor