Emergencies

What is an emergency?

When it comes to your health or the health of someone in your family, it is often very obvious if the person is seriously ill and needs immediate emergency care. An emergency is a critical or life-threatening situation.

To help you decide what a critical situation is; here are some examples:

* unconsciousness,
* a suspected stroke,
* heavy blood loss,
* suspected broken bones,
* a deep wound such as a stab wound,
* a suspected heart attack,
* difficulty in breathing,
* severe burns, and
* a severe allergic reaction.

There are a few things that you should remember in any emergency. These will help you to deal with the situation quickly and efficiently.

* Stay calm, shout for help. You may need to instruct someone to telephone 999. Make sure they know where the ambulance has to come to, and they have some details about the person who is injured or ill.
* Don't put yourself in danger. For example, if someone has been electrocuted, make sure you switch off the power supply before touching them.
* Do everything you can to help the person.
* Don't give the person anything to eat, drink or smoke.
* Don't stick anything in their mouth.
* Follow the instructions the ambulance service call handler may give you.

Lancaster University Students

Anyone living on university campus in Lancaster and needing an ambulance should dial 999 on the internal system rather than a mobile. The call is channeled through security, who can meet the ambulance and quickly direct to the scene. In term time Security will also ask a Nurse to attend until the ambulance arrives. However if you are not near an internal telephone do not delay. Make a call by any means available. After the call contact security on 01524 5-94541 to let them know you are expecting an ambulance

Out of Hours Service

Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust are responsible for providing emergency medical cover when the surgery is closed. This service is called BAYCALL and is based both in Lancaster and Morecambe. BAYCALL provides emergency medical care during evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays.

Upon contact with BAYCALL you will be asked to give details to a receptionist and will then be able to speak to a doctor or nurse on duty. This doctor may be from another local practice. The doctor or nurse may ask if you are able to travel to attend the Centre to be seen, or may arrange a visit if necessary.

You must not use BAYCALL to make routine appointments or request repeat prescriptions.

BAYCALL  0845 0524999.