Get the right care for you
To help you get better as quickly as possible, it’s important to choose the right care in the right place for your needs. Remember your local pharmacist and your GP are often the best people to visit in the first instance to get treated. We have also put together a handy guide to help you.
As well as making sure you get the best care, you will also help to free up our Emergency Department teams to treat patients with life-threatening conditions.
Grazed knee, cough, colds and sore throats
Self-care: keep your medicine cabinet stocked up with over-the-counter remedies.
Not sure? Feeling unwell? Need to know where to go?
Call NHS 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not an emergency.
Diarrhoea, runny nose, headache
Pharmacy: speak to your pharmacist for advice about common illnesses and treatments.
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We've made our best effort to make sure these pharmacy times are correct, but make sure you double check first.
Ear pain, backache, throat infection
Your GP and out of hours care: For illnesses and injuries that won’t go away, speak to your GP.
Fever, fractures, strains and sprains
Urgent care centre: For minor illnesses and injuries.
Choking, chest pain, black outs and blood loss
Call 999 for life threatening situations and emergencies.
Urgent GP appointments
To help more people who need to be seen urgently by a local doctor same day appointments are available every weekday evening between 6.30pm and 10pm, and 8am-8pm on weekends. Some daytime slots are also available on weekdays. These appointments are available to everyone registered with a GP in our area.
NHS 111 can book you into a GP hub if you need an urgent appointment and your own doctor can’t see you. You can call the service directly on 020 3770 1888 between 12noon and 9pm on weekdays and between 9am and 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays all year round for an appointment.
To make it even easier to be seen, it is now possible to book appointments for Friday evening, Saturdays and Sundays from Thursdays each week, rather than on the day. Appointments must be booked in advance, you can’t ‘walk in’ or turn up without an appointment on the day.
The GPs can see and update your records in the appointment so it is no different to seeing a doctor at your usual practice.
GP hubs in your area:
Barking and Dagenham
The two GP hubs where the urgent appointments are available are at Broad Street Medical Centre in Dagenham, and Barking Community Hospital in Upney.
Redbridge
The three Redbridge GP hubs which offer urgent appointments are at Southdene Surgery in South Woodford, Newbury Group Practice in Newbury Park and Fulwell Cross Medical Centre in Barkingside.
Havering
The two GP hubs where the urgent appointments are available are at North Street Medical Care in Romford and Rosewood Medical Centre in Hornchurch.
Local walk-in centres
Barking Community Hospital Walk-in Centre
Address: Upney Lane, Barking, IG11 9LX
Telephone: 020 8924 6262
Opening hours: 7am-10pm Monday to Friday; 9am-10pm, Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays all year except 25 December.
Loxford polyclinic
Address: 417 Ilford Lane, Ilford, Essex, IG1 2SN
Telephone number: 020 8822 3800
Opening hours: 8am - 8pm
Harold Wood polyclinic
Address: The Drive (off Gubbins Lane), Harold Wood, RM3 0AR
Telephone number: 01708 792000
Opening hours: 8am-8pm
Please note after 7pm or earlier if it is busy, you may not be able to be seen. However where appropriate you will be triaged by a clinician and advised either to return the next day or you will be redirected to another health care provider. Towards the end of the day it is advisable to telephone to check our wait times and availability.
Please be aware that x-ray reports are processed off site and to insure that they are able to diagnose and treat injuries successfully by 8pm please telephone ahead to check the volume of patients already booked in.
For more information, see the Harold Wood polyclinic website.
South Hornchurch Walk-in service
Address: South End Road, Rainham, RM13 7XJ
Telephone number: 01708 576 000
Open hours: 10am-2pm and 3pm-7pm Monday to Friday, 10am-2pm Saturday and Sunday