Out of Hours

Caring Around The Clock takes calls from practice patients who need urgent medical advice when their own surgery is closed.

The service will operate from:6:30pm to 8am MONDAY to FRIDAY and from 6:30pm FRIDAY until 8am MONDAY. Caring Around The Clock can be contacted on 0845 603 1087.

Please ring this number rather than your own surgery out of hours.

This practice works in partnership with Caring Around The Clock to extend the service you receive if you need medical advice at a time when the surgery is closed.

What are the benefits to me of this service?

Caring Around The Clock will bring many benefits, such as round the clock health advice from highly qualified doctors, and links to ambulance and Accident and Emergency services if necessary.

Should a doctor need to be involved, Caring Around The Clock will pass your details to CROYDOC , who will arrange for the patient to be seen at a Centre, or for the patient to be seen at home if medically necessary.

What will happen when I call the number?

When you call the Caring Around The Clock telephone number the person who answers will take your name and address. You will then be passed to a Doctor who will ask you about your symptoms, or the symptoms of the person for whom you are calling. The Doctor will assess the symptoms and then decide whether advice is all that is needed or whether a doctor should see the patient at a Centre or at home if medically necessary. In a serious or life threatening situation the nurse will arrange an ambulance for you.

Will a CROYDOC doctor still see me?

YES, if this is necessary. Patients who need to be seen by a doctor will be. If you, or a member of the family, needs to be seen by a doctor when your surgery is closed, then CROYDOC will arrange for the patient to be seen either at a Primary Care Centre or, if medically necessary, at home. Going to a Primary Care Centre to see a doctor is accepted to be safe and makes best use of the doctor’s time. If a child is so ill that hospital admission is required, the child will have to leave the house at some point, so the sooner the better. Patients who are terminally ill, too frail or so ill they cannot leave the house, will be visited at home, if necessary, by a doctor.

What if I’m not sure whether I need to see a doctor or not?

The advantage of having NHS 24 working with G-MED is that you can call NHS 24 if you or someone you know is worried about a health-related problem but you’re not sure if you need to see a doctor.
What information should I have ready when I call Caring Around The Clock?
As far as possible you should have details of the the illness clearly in your mind before making the call. Any medicines being taken should also be at hand or have a list of them ready as you will be asked about them

Should I still call 999 in an emergency?

YES. I someone is seriously ill, for example with chest pains, severe bleeding, serious difficulty in breathing, or has collapsed then you should dial 999 as you would normally expect to do.