Stay well

If you need medical help urgently, but it’s not life-threatening, contact NHS 111 first rather than going straight to A&E.

NHS 111 will help you right away and direct you to the best service for your needs. If needed, a healthcare professional will call you.

NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day. You can access it online at 111.nhs.uk, on the NHS App or by calling 111, free of charge, from a landline or mobile phone.

If you or a loved one have a life-threatening illness or injury, you should call 999 straight away.

For other conditions, contact your GP as normal or speak to your pharmacist. For advice on treating very minor ailments at home, speak to your pharmacist or visit the NHS website.

An NHS health check is provided in GP practices to people who are most at risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, stroke or kidney disease. It will prepare you for the future and help take steps to maintain or improve your health. If you are between 40 and 74, and invited by your GP, you can have a free NHS health check at your doctors.

What happens at a health check?

Your nurse or healthcare assistant will do a some straightforward tests and ask some simple questions about your medical history. A record of your height, weight, age, sex and ethnicity is taken and your blood pressure and cholesterol will be tested.

The results will give you and your doctor a clearer picture of your health and your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and some forms of dementia. There will be time to discuss your results, and you’ll be offered advice on how to improve your health. By taking action you’ll improve your chance of a longer, healthier life.

If you are not invited to have a free health check and want to take control of your health visit the healthy hearts page on the NHS website.

Some NHS vaccines are available to everyone. The NHS recommends the ages that each vaccine should be given and provides information on new vaccines and travel vaccinations.

If you’re not sure if you, or your child, has had all your routine vaccinations, ask your doctor.

To stay healthy, particularly when you get older, you need to keep warm. 

The NHS Pharmacy First service in England allows patients to get treatment for a range of common conditions and urgent supplies of regular medicines directly from a pharmacist, without the need for a GP appointment.

The common conditions, and the ages that qualify for the service, are:

• impetigo (ages 1+)
• infected insect bites (ages 1+)
• earache (ages 1–17)
• sore throat (ages 5+)
• sinusitis (ages 12+)
• shingles (ages 18+)
• uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women only, ages 16–64) 

How it works 

• Visit your pharmacy: go to any participating community pharmacy for a consultation
• Consultation: a trained pharmacist will assesses your symptoms
• Treatment options: they offer self-care advice, over-the-counter treatments or, if appropriate, supply prescription medicines (including antibiotics/antivirals)

Urgent supply

For an urgent supply of regularly prescribed medicine, use NHS 111 online or call 111 (for ages 5+) to be directed to a pharmacy for a limited supply if you've run out and need it urgently.

They'll assess your need and tell you which local pharmacy can provide it, but this doesn't cover new antibiotics or controlled drugs. You'll pay your usual prescription fee unless exempt.

Contraception

Pharmacies in the UK also offer a free, confidential contraception service for emergency contraception (morning-after pill), starting the pill or ongoing supplies.