How to use your health services
There are different healthcare services available to help you find the right expert care to treat your condition. For minor, short term conditions, you can self-care or ask a pharmacist for advice. Emergency services deal with serious medical needs where there is a serious risk to life or your health.
Self-care and first aid
Self-care is the best choice to treat minor illnesses, ailments and injuries.
You can treat common illnesses and complaints, such as aches and pains, coughs, colds, upset stomachs and sore throats with over-the-counter medicines and plenty of rest.
Most of these conditions improve whether you get treatment or not.
Over-the-counter products
In a pharmacy you can buy over-the-counter:
- paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen
- rehydration mixtures
- indigestion remedies
- plasters
- a thermometer
It is important to follow the instructions on the pack.
First aid
First aid can treat all sorts of minor bumps and scrapes. You may want to think about getting a first aid kit for your house or training in first aid so that you are prepared to deal with minor accidents.
Information on what to include in a first aid kit is available at:
Health conditions A to Z
Health conditions A to Z contains information on a number of common illnesses and conditions.
It includes:
- information on symptoms and related illnesses
- details on how to treat less serious symptoms yourself
- advice on when seek medical help from your GP or pharmacist
Children's symptom checker
If your child is feeling unwell, use the online children’s symptoms checker to find information on the most common conditions and symptoms that affect children and where to get treatment.
The platform will guide you through what to do in different situations to make sure your child gets the right care in the right place, at the right time, from the right team.
Pharmacists
A pharmacist can give confidential, expert advice and treatment for some common illnesses and complaints, without you seeing your GP or going to an emergency department.
Further information on what advice and treatments pharmacists can help with is available at:
Your GP
GPs provide health services including medical advice, examinations, prescriptions and ongoing care for longstanding or chronic conditions.
They can also provide:
- diagnosis of symptoms
- health education
- vaccinations
- simple surgical procedures
- Your local doctor (GP)
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has more information on getting the most out of your health service.
Mental health
When you experience problems with your mental health, it is important to talk to your GP about your thoughts and feelings. Your GP will assess you. With your GP's help, you can decide about any treatment or action to take.
To read more information about mental health, go to:
Genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
If you're worried about having a sexually transmitted infection, you can get tested at a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic.
There are walk-in and appointment-only clinics available in hospitals and health centres.
Men who have sex with men can get the HPV vaccine if they go to a GUM clinic.
Find out what's available in your Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust area:
- Belfast HSC Trust - sexual health and HIV services
- Northern HSC Trust - sexual health service (GUM)
- South Eastern HSC Trust - sexual health service
- Southern HSC Trust - sexual health
- Western HSC Trust - sexual and reproductive health services
Minor injuries or urgent care services
A Minor Injuries Unit or urgent care service can treat injuries that are not critical or life-threatening, such as:
- injuries to upper and lower limbs
- broken bones, sprains, bruises and wounds
- bites – human, animal and insect
- burns and scalds
- abscesses and wound infections
- minor head injuries
- broken noses and nosebleeds
- foreign bodies in the eyes and nose
Out of hours
GP out of hours
The GP out of hours service is for people who need urgent medical treatment but cannot wait until their doctor's practice opens.
The GP out of hours service is available:
- from 6.00 pm during the week until your GP surgery opens the next morning
- 24 hours on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
You should telephone the service first. The doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to see a doctor or refer you to another service.
Dental emergencies out of hours
Few dental emergencies require out-of-hours intervention, but if it is needed, you can contact the Emergency Dental Clinics.
Any dental care service provided will only be for cases requiring urgent treatment that cannot wait until the next working day on which a dental practice is open.
Risk of life
You should always phone 999 when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
Urgent and emergency healthcare
Emergency departments give the highest level of emergency care for patients, especially those with sudden and acute illness or severe trauma, such as:
- suspected heart attack
- suspected stroke
- serious head injury
- serious accident
Advice on what to do in an emergency and where to go is available at:
You can check the average waiting time to see the nurse or doctor at the link below:
You can also Phone First if you’re not sure:
Mental health emergency
If your mental or emotional state quickly gets worse, it is a mental health emergency or mental health crisis.
When this happens, you need to get help quickly.
If you're having treatment or were treated for a mental illness, you should have a care plan.
Your care plan has names and numbers to contact in an emergency.
If you don’t have a care plan, you should:
- make an emergency appointment with your GP or your GP out of hours service when the emergency is at night, weekend or a public holiday
- go to a hospital emergency department
- Out of hours service
Caring for someone who is having a mental health emergency
If you're concerned about someone's safety but can't get them to an emergency department or keep them safe, you can telephone 999.
If you or someone you know needs help and you would like to speak to someone by telephone, you can telephone Lifeline free in confidence, 24 hours a day: