What is an urgent treatment centre or walk in 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.
By the end of 2019, these will all be called urgent treatment centres.
Urgent treatment centres are GP-led and open for at least 12 hours a day every day of the week (including bank holidays).
You may be referred to an urgent treatment centre by NHS 111 or by your GP. You can also just turn up and walk in.
Find your nearest open walk-in centre or minor injury unit in the map below:
Many walk-in centres and minor injury units have a GP service and outside of the usual opening times there is an out-of-hours GP service. This ensures that people will have access to a doctor 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week. Access is by appointment only. To access the out of hours GP service, please call 111.
Remember: Hospital emergency departments are for patients requiring emergency care for serious and life-threatening conditions. Please use the emergency department services carefully so it can best support those who need it most – people with chest pain or blood loss, or who are blacking out or choking.
Conditions that can be treated at an urgent treatment centre include:
- 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
Teeth problems?
Toothache, when severe, can be an awful experience, so preventing it or seeking appropriate help will clearly be a priority for anyone, and especially over the festive period.
Patients should not delay seeing a dentist when they start to get symptoms as dental problems are much better dealt with sooner before serious pain develops, so seek advice from the professionals who can help you early on. For your nearest dentist, search here.
Feeling unwell?
If you are feeling unwell, and you cannot self-care at home, please remember you can consult your pharmacist, who is a medical expert. If you are unsure if you need to access health care services, call 111 for advice.