Local services

If you need urgent medical help but it is not a life-threatening emergency, call 111 first or visit 111.nhs.uk where a trained advisor will direct you to the most appropriate service for your needs. This could be:

Your GP practice: here

A local pharmacy: here

Local Urgent Treatment Centre: Westmorland General Hospital, Burton Road, Kendal, LA9 7RG. Tel: 01539 716570

Emergency Department:

Furness General Hospital, Dalton Lane, Barrow-in-Furness

LA14 4LF

Telephone: 01229 870870

Furness General Hospital website

Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Ashton Road, Lancaster

LA1 4RP

Telephone: 01524 65944

Royal Lancaster Infirmary website

If you are advised to attend an Emergency Department (ED) for urgent care but it is not life-threatening emergency, your 111 advisor can book you a time slot to attend. Contacting 111 first helps to maintain social distancing in EDs and ensures you receive the right care, in the right place, in a more timely way.

For information on the NHS 111 British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter service click here.

You can also call 18001 111 on a textphone.

If you need an interpreter, this can be arranged when you contact NHS 111.

Find out more about the NHS 111 service and other ways you can contact 111 if you need additional support.

Emergency Departments (EDs) at hospitals are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for serious and life-threatening conditions. If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency you/they should call 999 or visit the nearest Emergency Department.

Medical emergencies include:

• loss of consciousness
• an acute, confused state
• fits that aren’t stopping
• chest pain
• breathing difficulties
• severe bleeding that can't be stopped
• severe allergic reactions
• severe burns or scalds

Call 999 immediately if you or someone else is having a heart attack or stroke. Every second counts with these conditions.

Also call 999 if you think someone has had a major trauma, such as after a serious road traffic accident, a stabbing, a shooting, a fall from height, or a serious head injury.

Across Morecambe Bay our Emergency Departments are located at:

Furness General Hospital, Dalton Lane, Barrow-in-Furness

LA14 4LF

Telephone: 01229 870870

Furness General Hospital website

Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Ashton Road, Lancaster

LA1 4RP

Telephone: 01524 65944

Royal Lancaster Infirmary website

The Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) is based at Westmorland General Hospital and can help with expert advice and treatment for injuries and illnesses that need urgent medical attention but aren’t life threatening, such as:

• sprains and strains
• minor head injuries
• cuts and grazes
• suspected broken bones or fractures to the limbs
• bites and stings
• infected wounds
• minor scalds and burns
• minor eye problems

The UTC provides some urgent care services along with overnight GP cover provided by Cumbria Health on Call (CHoC).

Westmorland General Hospital
Burton Road
Kendal
LA9 7RG
Tel: 01539 716570

Please note that the last appointment time is 10pm.

The service offers patient assessment and treatment for a wide range of non-life threatening conditions from strains and sprains to broken bones and minor illnesses. Various assessments such as x-rays are available between the hours of 9am-8pm (with on call cover overnight). Appointments can be pre-booked via NHS 111.

Patients who visit the UTC will be seen as quickly as possible, in order of their clinical need. 

Between 11pm and 8am GP cover isprovided by CHoC, and may be limited due to on call duties. 

Out of hours it is recommendedthat patients contact NHS 111.

This assessment process avoids unnecessary admissions and ambulance journeys to the acute hospitals. Patients who presen in the UTC with serious or life threatening conditions may be transferred to A&E at the RLI, FGH or Royal Preston Hospital (RPH).

The UTC is not able to treat emergencies such as, central chest pain, severe breathing difficulties, mental health issues or suspected strokes etc. Patients who experience these conditions need to be treated urgently so should either dial 999 or attend the Emergency Departments at either the Royal Lancaster Infirmary or Furness General Hospital in Barrow.

Your GP practice is the main point of contact for general NHS healthcare. GPs are highly skilled doctors who support patients throughout their lives.

Your GP surgery provides a wide range of family health services, including:

• advice on health problems
• referrals to other health services and social services if necessary
• examinations and treatment
• vaccinations
• prescriptions for medicines.

Find your nearest GP practice: here

A full list of GP practices in Morecambe Bay can be found here: https://www.morecambebayccg.nhs.uk/local-services/gp-practices

Contacting your GP practice
Many practices are now offering online services where you can seek advice for your condition, book appointments and order repeat prescriptions. Visit your practice website for more information about online services or visit www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/using-online-services.

You can still call your practice if you need urgent advice or would prefer to speak to someone.

If you need an appointment this may be over the phone, via a video consultation or a face-to-face appointment if you do need to be seen in person.

Appointments may also be available in the evening and on weekends.

Need to register with a GP practice?
You can search for your nearest GP practice by entering your address on the on the NHS website.

Find out more about how to register with a GP practice.

What should I do if I need support when my GP practice is closed?

If you need medical help and your GP practice is closed, and it is not a life-threatening emergency, contact the 111 service online or call 111. A trained adviser will direct you to the right NHS service depending on your needs. The NHS 111 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency you/they should still attend an Emergency Department or call 999.

Your local pharmacy team can provide expert advice about over-the-counter medicines to treat many common health conditions, such as colds, aches and pains and tummy troubles, as well as advice on medication and services such as healthy living support.

Pharmacists are also trained to advise whether you need to see a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional if it is something more serious to ensure you get the help you need, and can also provide health and wellbeing advice.

Many pharmacies are open in the evening and on weekends and have a private consultation room where you can speak to a pharmacist. To find a local pharmacy click here. For more information on how your pharmacy can help you, click here.

Many everyday illnesses and injuries such as colds, sore throats, sprains and strains, diarrhoea and sickness bugs can be treated at home. The NHS website provides lots of advice on conditions, symptoms, treating illnesses and injuries as well as when to seek further support. Visit the health A – Z section at www.nhs.uk.

Keeping essential medicines at home, such as painkillers, upset stomach relievers, antihistamines, plasters and bandages will help you be prepared to look after yourself and your loved if you do need to treat any injury or illness. The NHS website has a really useful guide to what to keep in your medicine and first aid kit at home. Remember to keep any medicine in a safe place and well out of the reach of children and check medicines regularly to make sure they are within their use by dates.

If you are registered with a dentist you will be offered regular check-ups and can also seek advice for dental problems and pain. Visit https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists to find out more about dental services, how to register with a dentist near you and how much treatment costs.

Dental services are commissioned by NHS England.

Need urgent dental advice?
For urgent dental treatment or advice please contact your usual dental practice in the first instance. Alternatively visit the NHS 111 service online or call 111 which can put you in touch with an urgent dental service.

Having regular eye tests are an important check of your vision and also the health of your eyes.

Visit https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians to find out more about opticians, eye tests and how to find an optician near you. Optician services are commissioned by NHS England.

Looking after your mental health is just as important as physical health, and often the two can be linked, so we are committed to ensuring we have the right services in place to support all of our communities. Your NHS and our partner organisations are all here for you, so please do reach out if you need support.

If you feel you may need some support with your wellbeing but aren’t really sure where to start, the NHS Every Mind Matters website has really useful resources and you can generate a personalised plan by answering a few questions about how you’ve been feeling. Visit https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters to find out more.

Local mental health services

Mental health services across Morecambe Bay are provided by a variety of organisations, local charities and councils. These services are provided in a variety of ways including care in the in the community, at specialist facilities or in your own home.

If you would like support for your mental health, your GP is there to listen and can help find the right services and support for you.

You can also refer yourself to your local NHS psychological therapies service (also known as IAPT services) without speaking to your GP, or your GP can refer you. Local IAPT teams are experts in supporting common mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress and panic. You can often refer yourself online or over the phone. Find your local service and how to refer here.

Mental health support for children and young people

Mental health and wellbeing services to support children and young people are often referred to as Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Local services are made up of specialist teams offering assessment and treatment to children and young people up to age 18 who have emotional, behavioural or mental health problems. Services can be provided by the NHS, local authorities, community and voluntary organisations or within schools.

Listening services

Free listening services offer confidential advice from trained volunteers:

Call 116123 to talk to Samaritans or email  for a reply within 24 hours

Text “SHOUT” to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line or text “YM” if you are under 19

If you are under 19 you can also call Childline on 0800 1111. The number will not appear on your phone bill.

Urgent mental health support

If you need help for a mental health crisis or emergency, support is available and you should get immediate expert advice and assessment.

The crisis may be a sudden deterioration of an existing mental health problem, or you may be experiencing mental health problems for the first time.

To find a local urgent mental health helpline click here.

If you’ve already been given a Crisis Line number from a health professional, call it. Or, if you are under the care of a mental health team and have a specific care plan that states who to contact when you need urgent care, you should follow this plan.

Making an urgent GP appointment or contacting 111

If you, or someone else, require urgent care but it is not life-threatening, you should make an emergency GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if your GP practice is closed. For example, this could be:

• if you have an existing mental health problem and your symptoms get worse
• if you experience a mental health problem for the first time
• if someone has self-harmed but it does not appear to be life-threatening, or is talking about wanting to self-harm
• if a person shows signs of dementia
• when a person is experiencing domestic violence, physical, sexual or emotional abuse

NHS 111 available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and includes a team of specialist mental health nurses who can provide support or link you with the right local service for you. Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk.

When to phone 999 or visit the Emergency Department

Emergency Departments (EDs) at hospitals are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for serious and life-threatening conditions. A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical emergency. If you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe, or if someone’s life is at risk – for example, they have injured themselves or taken an overdose, call 999 or visit your nearest Emergency Department.

The Stroke Association has produced a Directory of Services which maps stroke related services across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

The directory allows stroke survivors, their carers and families, health professionals and voluntary sector organisations to find services, activities and opportunities available for people affected by stroke.

This includes services that will:

• Provide local services to help with everyday tasks
• Increase participation in community life and peer support
• Provide useful equipment, advice or information
• Help improve communication skills
• Provide emotional support
• Provide family and carer support

Find out more by opening the directory at the link below:

Directory of Stroke Services — Lancashire and South Cumbria

Community equipment services are logistical support services which buy, deliver, collect and, where appropriate, recycle items of both health and social care equipment. These are typically large scale items such as beds, mattresses and special adaptations for chairs.

The main purpose of the community equipment service is to provide equipment on loan, free at the point of delivery, to individuals living in the community. This allows them to carry out day to day tasks and activities of daily living, that they would otherwise be unable to do without such support. Equipment is also provided to support carers to enable them to continue to support loved ones with ongoing care at home.

Following a competitive procurement process, aimed at providing a consistent service to patients across Lancashire, Medequip was awarded the contract to provide the service. Service users and carers will receive a consistent, high quality service that enables them to remain safe and independent in their own homes across Lancashire.

The contact details for Medequip are as follows:

Medequip telephone number for all enquiries:

Mon — Fri (8am — 6pm): 01772 286573

Out of hours: 0208 573 2871

CSS — IT Helpdesk: 0844 879 4531

Medequip email address for all enquiries:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Address of the new Medequip depot:

Medequip Assistive Technology
Unit G4 Leyland Business Park
Centurion Way
Leyland
PR25 3GR

We work together to provide health services for children and young people in the Morecambe Bay area.

This web page will help you to find the all the information you need on health services in the area by linking you to the pages that are relevant to you.