What should I do if I’m unwell or need help over the festive period?
Please note, the Healthwatch Hertfordshire office closes at 1pm on Friday 22 December and will re-open at 9am on Tuesday 2nd January, 2024.
In a health emergency or if you have an urgent medical issue
If you, or someone you are close to, is experiencing a health emergency please call 999 immediately.
- If you have an urgent illness, or injury that isn’t life or limb-threatening, please contact NHS 111 online or phone 111. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- If you need urgent mental health support, call 111 and choose option 2 to speak to specially trained staff. The Mental Health Helpline provided by Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust (HPFT) is also available 24/7 via freephone 0800 6444 101.
- If you have a safeguarding concern, you can raise this by calling 0300 123 4042.
If you need support with the Cost of Living, or help keeping warm this winter
Hertfordshire County Council has created a website to help you manage the Cost of Living and winter challenges. It provides links to services that can help with financial pressures, paying bills, family concerns, aged care assistance and more.
Help and advice is also available by calling the Council on 0300 123 4042.
In Hertfordshire, an online warm spaces directory has been created, which helps you find libraries, family centres and community spaces that are offering free, safe, warm places in our communities.
HertsHelp can also offer advice and assistance for those struggling, either online or phone 0300 123 4044.
If you have a non-urgent health concern
If your health concern is non-urgent, a minor illness or you have a question about medication, the NHS website is the best place to start - just visit www.nhs.uk.
If you need more help for your symptoms, your local pharmacy can help and you won’t need an appointment. Pharmacists are qualified specialists and most pharmacies have a consultation room where you can talk in private. They also know what symptoms to be concerned about and will advise if you need to see a GP or another health service.
A number of pharmacies will be open for a few hours on each public holiday. For pharmacy opening times over the festive period, please go to the NHS England website.
When to contact your GP
If you’ve been unwell for more than 48 hours and your GP practice is open, you should be able to try and book an appointment with a healthcare professional.
Please continue to attend any booked appointments – your practice will ring you if they need to make a change. There is no need to ring them.
However, if you have diarrhoea, vomiting or symptoms of COVID-19, seek help online or over the phone – please don’t risk making others ill by arriving at a health setting unannounced.
Further advice about local NHS services is available here Help us help you this winter (information updated 20.12.23)
If you need a dentist
If you have dental pain, swelling, or bleeding that is having an impact on your eating and sleeping, you should contact NHS 111 online or call 111 and tell them you need urgent dental care. They will assess you over the phone and, if needed, make an urgent appointment for you to see a dentist.
For further advice about getting dental help, read our article here.
On behalf of Healthwatch Hertfordshire, I would like to wish everyone a relaxing, peaceful festive season and a very happy, healthy New Year. Take care of yourself and your loved ones and seek help if you are finding things difficult. I want to thank the team and Board for all their hard work this year and a big thank you to all of you who shared your experiences to help improve local services.
