Need care now?

Who to call now, and the nearest help that is open.

Life-threatening emergency: call 999

999 is for life-threatening emergencies, such as a heart attack, a stroke, a serious road accident, heavy bleeding, choking or a seizure.

Call 999

Do not drive yourself to A&E. Ask someone to drive you, or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Not sure what to do: use NHS 111

Use NHS 111 if you think you need medical help now, or you are not sure whether you need 999. 111 can check your symptoms and tell you where to go.

Use 111 online Call 111

111 online is for England, for people aged 5 and over. In Scotland, call NHS 24 on 111. In Wales, use NHS 111 Wales or call 111. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5. If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech difficulty, you can call 18001 111 using text relay.

Mental health crisis

If you need urgent help for your mental health, call 111 and select the mental health option. In England, you can also use 111 online.

Call 999 or go to A&E now if someone’s life is at risk, for example they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose, or if you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe.

Call 111 Call Samaritans 116 123

Samaritans are free to call, any time, day or night, on 116 123. If you are under 19, you can also call Childline on 0800 1111.

Written and reviewed by the UK Hospitals editorial team
Last reviewed: 22 October 2026 · Next review due: 22 April 2027

This guide brings together information from the NHS and other official sources, listed at the end of the page. It is not medical advice.

Find hospitals with an A&E or pharmacies near you, or use the NHS website service search.

Opening times can change, especially on bank holidays. Check with the service before you travel. Distances are straight-line estimates.

We do not show waiting times because there is no reliable live data.

Not sure which service is right? Read our guide: where to go: A&E, urgent treatment centre, NHS 111, pharmacy or GP. You can also see every A&E department by region, or browse all hospitals and pharmacies.

This page helps you choose a service. It does not give medical advice.

Sources

We checked this guide against these official pages on 22 October 2026.

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