The Southern Trust’s ‘Phone First’ service has extended its hours to 9pm, Monday to Friday.
The ‘Phone First’ approach aims to help those patients with urgent but not life threatening symptoms to get the most appropriate care as quickly as possible and avoid busy waiting rooms.
Before attending the Emergency Department or Minor Injuries service you should phone 0300 123 3 111 between the hours of 9am – 9pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
When you ring the number, a call handler takes your details. A Senior Nurse, Physiotherapist or GP will call you back and advise on the most suitable care. For some patients, they will advise how to self-manage symptoms  or direct them to the community pharmacist. Those who need urgent assessment or treatment may receive an appointment with a physiotherapist, an urgent care GP or local minor injuries service. Anyone who does need to attend the Emergency Department will be given a referral code.
