Think Urgent Care

Urgent but not life-threatening?

Urgent care services can help with illnesses and injuries that need prompt attention but are not life-threatening.

They can often provide the right care more quickly and help you avoid an unnecessary trip to A&E.

When to use urgent care

Depending on the service and facilities available, urgent care services can help with problems such as:

• Sprains and strains
• Suspected broken bones
• Cuts and wounds
• Minor burns and scalds
• Minor head injuries
• Stomach pain
• Skin infections and rashes
• High temperatures and other illnesses that need urgent attention
• Urgent mental health concerns

Not sure where to go?

Use NHS 111 online or call 111 if you think you need urgent medical help.

NHS 111 can assess your symptoms and direct you to the most appropriate service. Depending on what you need, this may include a walk-in centre, minor injuries unit or another local service. NHS 111 may also be able to arrange an appointment or arrival time for you.

Local urgent care services

There are a number of services across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent for people who need help with urgent care including minor injuries and illnesses.

Walk-in centre (WIC)

• Haywood Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent
  Open: 7am to 9.30pm, every day
  The nurse-led walk-in service can treat a range of conditions including wounds, rashes, ear infections, sprains and strains, suspected fractures (for people over 5 years old) and minor burns. You do not need an appointment, although NHS 111 can book one for you if appropriate.

Information: Walk-in Centre (Haywood Community Hospital) :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC)

•           Royal Stoke University Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre

Open: 8am to 1am daily

For: Patients of all ages with minor injuries and illnesses

Minor Injury Units (MIUs)

• Leek Moorlands Community Hospital MIU

Open: 9am–5pm daily

X-ray facilities: Mon-Fri, 8.30am-12.15pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm. No afternoon X-ray on Thursdays.

For: Patients of all ages with minor injuries and illnesses

Information: MPFT webpage on Leek Moorlands Hospital

• Samuel Johnson Community Hospital MIU, Lichfield

Open: 8am–9pm daily

X-ray facilities: Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm

For: Patients of all ages with minor injuries and illnesses

Information: UHDB website

• Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital MIU, Tamworth

Open: 8am–9pm daily

X-ray facilities: 9am-5pm daily

For: Patients of all ages with minor injuries and illnesses

Information: UHDB website

•     County Hospital Children’s MIU, Stafford

Open: 8am–10pm daily

For: Children with minor injuries only

Information: online leaflet about services available at the Children’s MIU

Services and facilities vary by location. Before travelling, check the latest opening times and which patients each service can treat.

Check WaitLess app before you travel

The free WaitLess app can help you choose where to go for urgent care by showing waiting and travel times for local services, as well as information about what each service can treat.

Download WaitLess free from the App Store or Google Play.

If you’re not sure which service you need, use NHS 111 online or call 111.

When to call 999

Call 999 (or go to A&E) if someone has a life-threatening emergency, for example if someone:

• is unconscious or not breathing
• has severe difficulty breathing
• has signs of a heart attack or stroke
• is choking
• is having a seizure that is not stopping
• has severe bleeding
• has a severe allergic reaction

If you are not sure whether you need emergency help, contact NHS 111. NHS 111 can assess what is happening and tell you what to do next.