Medical care and advice over festive season

A new leaflet has been published that brings together all the contact details and opening times for urgent medical attention and hospital care that will be available across the Borough of Barnet during the Christmas and New Year holiday.

Copies are available in health centres, surgeries, pharmacies, libraries and other public buildings.

The leaflet is backed up by a website – www.barnetccg.nhs.uk – that will give a complete list of pharmacy opening times during the festive season.

Atinuke Phillips, communications and engagement officer for the Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group, prepared the leaflet.

She hopes it will help inform residents about the different health services that will be available over the holiday period.

The aim is to assist people in getting faster and better treatment while relieving the increasing pressures on the accident and emergency departments at Barnet Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital.

The aim is to assist people in getting faster and better treatment while relieving the increasing pressures on the accident and emergency departments at Barnet Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital.

When help is needed fast but it is not a 999 emergency or requiring a visit to accident and emergency, the easy way to get the right help, available 24 hours a day, is to call 111 or go online via the website https://111.nhs.uk

There are three walk-in centres in the borough for patients with injuries which are urgent but do not need a visit to A&E:

Finchley Memorial, Granville Road: opening hours Monday to Sunday, 8am – 10pm (last patient booked in at 9pm); X-ray opening times, Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm (excluding bank holidays)

Edgware Community Hospital, Burnt Oak Broadway: opening hours Monday to Sunday, 7am – 10pm (last patient booked in at 9pm); X-ray opening times, 9am – 8.30pm daily including bank holidays.

Cricklewood GP health centre, Britannia Business Centre, Cricklewood Lane: opening times, Monday to Sunday, 8am – 8pm (last patient booked in at 7pm) No X-ray facilities.

Appointments to see a GP or other health care professional on weekday evenings, weekends and bank holidays can been be booked via individual Barnet GP practices or by calling the service directly on 020 3948 6809.

To see a doctor overnight between 8pm and 8am, phone 111 for access to GP out of hours services.

The leaflet says local pharmacists can give expert advice about over-the-counter medicines that can help with lots of common conditions.

For help finding the nearest pharmacist go to www.nhs.uk or call 0300 311 22 33. During the festive season, pharmacy opening times will be available at www.barnetccg.nhs.uk

If help is needed with a mental health issue, there is a 24-hour self-refer Crisis Resolution Home Treatment service available on 020 8702 4040 or at www.beh-mht.nhs.uk/patients-and-carers/support-in-crisis.htm

For emergency dental care when dentists are closed call 111 for out-of-hours dental help or advice and referral, if necessary, to a dental treatment centre.

Dental assessment operating hours are Monday to Friday, 6pm – 8am and 24 hours on weekends and bank holidays.