Our emergency departments (A&Es) are very busy at the moment; to help ensure you are in the right place for your care we have listed below some of the options available to you across Birmingham and Solihull.
Self-care
There are a range of conditions that can be treated at home with the right medication. Examples include sore throats, coughs, colds and mild stomach upsets. See the NHS website for general health advice.
Pharmacies
Alert: Opening hours for the festive period
Please ensure you check opening hours for pharmacies across the Christmas and New Year period.
Pharmacies can provide you with medication for a variety of illnesses, including coughs and colds. Pharmacists are also able to offer advice when you are unwell but unsure exactly what may be wrong.
You can get certain prescription medications directly from a pharmacy, without a GP appointment. This includes help for seven common conditions including earache, sore throat, and urinary tract infections, aiming to address health issues before they get worse.
| Common condition | Age range for treatment |
|---|---|
| Ear infection | 1 to 17 years |
| Impetigo (skin infection) | 1 year and over |
| Infected insect bites | 1 year and over |
| Shingles | 18 years and over |
| Sinusitis | 12 years and over |
| Sore throat | 5 years and over |
| Urinary tract infections (urine infection) | Women 16 to 64 years |
NHS 111
NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do. The service will ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms and direct you to the right medical care. NHS 111 is available 24/7 as a free-to-use phone number (dial 111) or online service.
Depending on what you need, you might be advised to:
- Call 999 or go to A&E in an emergency
- Go to an urgent treatment centre
- See an evening and weekend GP (out-of-hours GP)
- Book a callback from a nurse
- Get urgent specialist support, for dental or mental health problems
- Contact your own GP surgery
- See a pharmacist for help with a minor illness
- Look after yourself safely at home
NHS 111 cannot:
- Issue FIT notes - you need to contact your GP surgery
- Make or cancel appointments for you in other parts of the NHS
Emergency prescriptions
You can get an emergency supply of regularly prescribed medicine for someone of any age.
Dental problems
NHS 111 can help with dental problems. This might mean finding a dentist, or an emergency dentist if there is availability in your area.
NHS 111 Online
NHS 111 online will not give you a diagnosis but will direct you to the best place to get help for your symptoms. 111 online is a digital triage service, available in England only and uses the same system ("algorithm") as the 111 phone service.
This service is only available for people aged 5 and over.
GP surgery
General practitioners (GPs) can offer advice, provide treatment, prescribe medication and refer you to another service if necessary. GPs may be able to offer same-day appointments or home visits if you require more urgent medical help. Alternatively, you can book an appointment.
Appointments may be face to face, over the phone or online.
Evening and Saturday appointments
Call your GP surgery or use their online services to understand if they offer evening and Saturday appointments. You may be able to get an appointment on the same day and the appointment may be offered at:
- your GP surgery
- another local GP surgery
- another local NHS service
Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC)
If you have a minor illness or injury, you may been seen quicker at a local urgent treatment centre.
They can help with things like:
- sprains and strains
- suspected broken bones
- injuries, cuts and bruises
- stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea
- skin infections and rashes
- high temperature in children and adults
- mental health concerns
If you need a prescription one can, be organised for you. Emergency contraception is also available.
To access most of our urgent treatment centres, you will need to call NHS 111 or visit NHS 111 online first to speak to a professional who, if appropriate, can make an appointment for you.
Solihull Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC)
The Solihull UTC is open 08:00 – 20:00, seven days a week, providing urgent care for common issues including:
- broken bones
- sprains
- cuts
- stomach pains
- rashes
- minor burns
If you have minor injuries – such as broken bones, sprains, cuts, bruising, minor burns – just walk-in (open 08:00 – 20:00, seven days a week, for anyone over one year old).
For minor illnesses, please contact NHS 111 or book an appointment.
The UTC cannot treat life-threatening emergencies, such as heart attacks and strokes. Please call 999 or attend your nearest accident and emergency department in these situations.
Alert: Life-threatening emergencies
If you have a life-threatening emergency, such as those listed below, always attend your nearest emergency department or call 999.
- Loss of consciousness
- Persistent chest pain
- Breathing difficulties
- Severe bleeding
- Severe allergic reaction
Emergency Department (A&E)/calling 999
You should only attend the Emergency Department or call 999 for an ambulance if you or somebody you are with has a very serious or life-threatening injury or illness. It's important to remember that if you require emergency care or treatment you should attend your nearest hospital's Emergency Department.
- Live accident and emergency wait times
- Find an Accident and Emergency (A&E)
- UHB Emergency department information
Specialist help
Mental health
In Birmingham and Solihull, those already engaging with mental health services are asked to continue to contact their existing service. Contact telephone numbers will be in care plans and treatment plan letters.
If you are known to one of our community mental health teams, please contact them directly on the usual phone number or the out of hours number. For general advice, such as housing or benefits information, please call the Birmingham Mind helpline.
Those seeking advice and information for people experiencing mental health difficulties, and not a mental health crisis, are encouraged to call the Birmingham Mind Mental Health Helpline or freephone between 09:00-23:00.
You can also email or get in contact via the webchat service helpline.
- help@birminghammind.org
- Birmingham Mind
- How to get urgent mental health help in Birmingham and Solihull
Children's emergency
Heartlands Hospital and Good Hope Hospitals have children's emergency departments and are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham does not have specific facilities to treat children within its Emergency Department.
Birmingham Children's Hospital's Emergency Department is located on Steelhouse Lane in Birmingham City Centre and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Sexual health
Umbrella provides sexual health services for Birmingham and Solihull.
Contraception, testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), STI treatment and other sexual health services are available from a range of clinics and other locations across the region.
Dental emergencies
For any emergency dental treatment it is best to contact a local dentist that provides emergency appointment slots.
You can search for dentists near you on the NHS Choices website.
NHS 111 can also help with dental problems. This might mean finding a dentist, or an emergency dentist if there is availability in your area.
Birmingham Dental Hospital is located off the Bristol Road in Edgbaston, not far from Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. The Dental Hospital provides emergency dental services, but does not offer walk-in appointments. You must call 111 to be assessed for an appointment.
Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit
Our Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit gives care for women with problems in early pregnancy (6-16 weeks of pregnancy).
We have two early pregnancy assessment units, one at Good Hope Hospital and one at Heartlands Hospital.
Assessment is by appointment only.
Ultrasound scanning appointment times are from 08:30 – 18:00, Monday to Friday. You will be offered the next available appointment time. We aim to offer an ultrasound scan within 48 hours of a referral.
You can be referred to the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit via a clinical assessment in the following settings:
- Emergency department (A&E)
- GP
- Community midwife
- NHS 111
- West Midlands Ambulance Service
- Private scan clinic
- Abortion clinic
Emergency eye care
The Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre is located within City Health Campus (formerly City Hospital) and is open for walk-in appointments between 09:00 - 19:00 Monday to Saturday and 09:00 - 18:00 Sunday and Bank Holidays.
Out of hours patients should attend their local hospital’s emergency department who have facilities to see patients who require urgent eye care.
Last reviewed: 19 December 2024