Overview
Urgent care centre
Our urgent care centre is our unit for minor injuries and minor illnesses, located at Guy's Hospital. We're a walk-in service, staffed by emergency nurse practitioners (ENPs) and urgent care GPs.
We treat minor injuries and minor illnesses, such as:
- broken bones
- bites
- burns and scalds
- infections
- minor illnesses including fever, infections and rashes
- sprains
- wounds
We do not offer:
- advanced investigations, such as chest X-rays, blood tests and scans
- repeat dressings (please see your GP practice nurse)
- repeat prescriptions, unless in an emergency, when a short duration may be prescribed
- sexual health (please see your local sexual health clinic)
- dental pain or emergencies (please see your local dentist or call 111 for emergency dental services)
- non-urgent specialist referrals
Choosing the right service
For severe and life-threatening emergencies
Accident and emergency (A&E) is for serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies. These are things that need immediate treatment, like heavy bleeding, choking and seizures.
For non life-threatening emergencies
If you need medical attention but it's not a life-threatening situation, call 111 or get help from 111 online.
NHS 111 can tell you what to do next.
For children
We see children aged 12 months and older. Children under 12 months can be seen in our children's emergency department.
If you're not sure what to do:
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
At the urgent care centre
When you arrive, our receptionist will ask for your:
- name
- address
- date of birth
- contact telephone number
- details of your GP or next of kin
We need this information to produce a treatment card for you. All the information that you give us is confidential.
A senior nurse or urgent care GP will assess you. They might refer you somewhere else for more appropriate treatment. This could be at:
- our emergency department (A&E) at St Thomas' Hospital if you are seriously ill
- your GP or pharmacist if you do not need to be treated at the centre
If our service is full, we may need to send you to another service. Our triage nurse will assess you to decide what is best and safe for you.
How long you wait at the urgent care centre depends on:
- the seriousness of your condition
- how many people with more serious or urgent needs arrive in the unit while you're waiting
Leaving the urgent care centre
We might give you a letter for your GP with information about your condition. This helps them give you a better service.
We're unable to provide transport home for most people. Guy's Hospital is well served by public transport.
