Step 1: Call your local surgery
You will either hear a recorded message giving you another number to call or you will be automatically diverted to our call centre.
Step 2: Contact Wiltshire Medical Services (WMS)
When you first get through to us your call will be taken by a Call Handler. This call handler will do one of three things depending on their assessment of the information you provide:
- Ask you to attend your own surgery during normal working hours.
- Pass your call on to a WMS nurse for telephone triage.
- Refer you to another health service in the local area.
Step 3: Telephone Triage
All calls requiring further attention are passed to a nurse for telephone triage. This means that their role is to assess your medical situation and decide on the best course of action for the service to take. Nurses will:
- Offer you telephone advice.
- Arrange for you to see a doctor at the nearest Primary Care Centre.
- In a minority of cases, and only where the patient cannot attend a PCC, arrange a home visit by a GP.
Step 4: Further Medical Attention
If the nurse decides you need further attention you will be given an attendance time and instructions on how to get to your nearest Primary Care Centre. In exceptional cases a doctor will visit you at home.
There are a number of other services that the NHS provides to help you out of hours. Our nurses or call handlers may refer you to these services (among others) if you call. Our aim is to ensure you are seen by the most appropriate service. That won’t always be us.
For more information on the services below please click on the links provided:
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