Get Help Sooner

Get help sooner. Why wait to see your doctor? You may not need to...

We have introduced a new way of working with GP Practices throughout the East Riding of Yorkshire CCG area that will make it easier for you to get help sooner.

When you contact your GP practice to book an appointment a specially trained receptionist will ask you some basic questions about your condition. With this information and access to a local directory of healthcare services, they can provide you with options for seeing a healthcare professional or service that is more appropriate for your condition. This means you don’t have to wait to see your doctor first.

It’s your choice… you can Get Help Sooner.

Services available are:

Community Link
Dentistry

Mental Health

Optometry (minor eye conditions)
Pharmacies
Physiotherapy

Urgent Treatment Centres

Additional Roles

Did you know your GP Practice also has a team of people trained to see and treat patients for a variety of conditions? You don’t always have to see a doctor. You can find out more about the team that makes up your GP practice and their different job roles by clicking here (scroll down to the Increase the number of people your GP Practice can see section).

Community Link

Community Link workers provide help and support for non-medical issues affecting people’s health and wellbeing, often referred to as social prescribing.

Click here for information on how social prescribing can help.

You must be aged 18 years and older.

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Dentistry

The best way to deal with many dental problems is with treatment through the dental team. If you experience any of the following conditions please contact your own dentist first.

  • Trauma (involving dental tissues with lost, loose or broken teeth; bleeding gums; minor cuts and bruising to the lips)
  • Inside the mouth (loose teeth; broken or sharp teeth; lost fillings; toothache; bleeding or swollen gums; lumps/bumps/ulcers/blisters; loose or broken crowns/bridges or dentures; bad taste/bad breath
  • Outside the mouth (jaw joint pain/clicking/restricted opening)

If you cannot contact your dentist or you don't have one, click this link to get help from NHS 111 online or call NHS 111 for assistance.  Further help with how to find an NHS dentist is available on the NHS website - click here.

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Mental Health

Psychological therapies can help if you’re feeling low; down; depressed; anxious; worried or stressed and much more.

Visit the psychological therapies website to find out more about how they can help

You must be aged 16 and older.

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Optometry (minor eye conditions)

Without the need for a GP referral, to patients over the age of 3 registered with an ER GP Practice who present with the following conditions:

  • Dry eye (lasting longer than 2 weeks after seeing a pharmacist and trying home treatments)
  • Red eye with pain
  • Photophobia
  • Painful eye
  • Flashes and new floaters
  • Blurry vision
  • Diplopia
  • Distorted vision
  • Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes  although not TOTAL Loss of vision  please go to Emergency Department (A&E)
  • Symptomatic field loss
  • Flashes and floaters
  • Ingrowing eyelash(es)
  • Non-penetrating foreign body

Children should be seen with their parent or guardian and under 3s will be advised to see their GP Practice.

Click here for a list of local opticians

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Pharmacies

Pharmacists are healthcare experts who can give clinical advice on self-care for minor health concerns and common illnesses. Visit our pharmacy page for information on what advice and treatment they can provide.

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Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy offers assessment, diagnosis, self-care and home programmes of care for people with musculoskeletal conditions (bones, muscle, joints, tendons ligaments and nerves)

You must be 16 years and older.

To find out more and refer yourself, visit the MSK Physiotherapy service website www.chcpmsk.org.uk.

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Urgent Treatment Centres

You should visit your nearest Urgent Treatment Centre if you have an urgent injury that is not serious, life or limb threatening. Visit our Urgent Treatment Centres page for information on what is treatable and your nearest centre.

If you are unsure, call NHS 111 for advice.

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Further information

To download a Get Help Sooner leaflet with more information about the service, click here.

Most GP Practices in the East Riding of Yorkshire are taking part in our Get Help Sooner approach.

Click here to view a list of all practices taking part.