Use the right service | News and events

As the weather gets colder, health and care services get busier. Cold weather increases the risk of trips and falls, and helps winter bugs like flu spread more easily between people.

We can all do our part to help local health and care services look after the one million people living in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Royston, by using the right services for our needs at the right time.

By using the right services for your needs, you can get the help you need quickly and effectively – all whilst reducing pressures on the busiest parts of the health and care system over winter, such as Emergency Departments.

Pharmacy services

Your local community pharmacy can help you with a host of issues, from advice and treatment for common ailments to contraception and vaccinations.

Most of our local pharmacies are taking part in Pharmacy First, a national initiative that means you can get treatment from your pharmacy for seven common conditions without seeing a GP first. You can find out more about Pharmacy First on the NHS website.

You can find your nearest pharmacy via www.nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy. Many pharmacies are open late or on weekends, so please do consider using your pharmacy team’s expertise if you have a common ailment or issue.

NHS 111

NHS 111 is a free online and telephone service that can help you if you’ve got an urgent, non-emergency medical problem and you’re not sure what to do. Trained staff members at NHS 111 will give you advice on how to look after yourself at home, or help you get seen by the right service if you need medical attention.

You can access 111 via 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111, 24/7, every day of the year.

GP practice

Your local GP practice team consists of lots of different experts, from GPs to physiotherapists, and from nurses to social prescribers. When you contact your GP practice to book an appointment, the practice team will book you in with the specialist who is best placed to help you.

You can book appointments by contacting your GP practice direct, or in many cases by using the NHS App or your practice’s website.

Minor Injury Units and Urgent Treatment Centres

In our area we have three Minor Injury Units, in Ely, Doddington and Wisbech; and one Urgent Treatment Centre, in Peterborough. These services can help you with a range of medical problems, including wounds, cuts and bruises; minor burns and scalds; sports injuries; minor head injuries; and earache.

You can find the opening times for each of our Minor Injury Units and Urgent Treatment Centres via www.cpics.org.uk/local-services.

Accident & Emergency Departments

The Accident & Emergency Departments at Peterborough City Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Addenbrooke’s Hospital are for patients who have a genuine life- or limb-threatening emergency. If you come to a local A&E department with something that isn’t an emergency, you may face a long wait or be asked to leave and go to a different service.

By only coming to A&E when we have a genuine emergency, we can help nurses, doctors and other staff members in these departments look after those people who need their care the most.

Find out more about your local services

For more information about your local services, you can visit www.cpics.org.uk/local-services. If you’re not sure what service to use, please reach out to 111 via 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111.