Non-urgent advice: Urgent Cases
Ambulance
In case of an acute emergency please dial 999.
Accident and Emergency
The nearest A&E Department are at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (020 8836 6000) and at the University Hospital Lewisham (020 8333 3000).
Non-urgent advice: 24 Hour Advice
The NHS 111 service provides information, advice and access to medical services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls to 111 are free from both landlines and mobile phones.
Please do not go to A&E during the day, unless it is extremely urgent and life- threatening. Please call the surgery on 020 8858 0689 during opening hours if you have a problem. The GPs run a triage telephone clinic and are best placed to advise you about appropriate treatment, etc. This may stop unnecessary attendance at A&E departments, along with a lengthy wait.
Notes on Guidance
Some emergencies are self-evident:
- Collapse
- Major stroke
- Haemorrhage
- Poisoning
- Electrocution
- Severe burns
- Suspected heart attack
- Major fractures or serious injury
These all warrant a 999 ambulance.
Other emergencies such as:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Pneumonia
- Severe headache
- Worsening asthma
- High fever in a young
- Listless child
These all need to be dealt with promptly by a GP
Less serious problems such as:
- Earache
- Minor fevers
- Coughs and colds
- Tummy upsets
These can usually initially be dealt with using over the counter medicines or wait for a routine appointment with the GP and should generally not be presented as emergencies for GPs.