For Patients

Firstly you will be asked to give your telephone number so that should the call be cut off, we can call you back. We will then ask you to confirm your name, date of birth, address and your surgery details. We will then ask you for a brief description of your symptoms. Please note, the call handler is not medically trained so will not give medical advice. Your call will then be prioritised as follows:

• Emergency — determined by nature of complaint (chest pains, collapse, shortage of breath etc) and / or the caller
• Urgent
• Routine

Emergency Call - If it is an emergency call, a clinician (nurse or doctor) is alerted and deals with the call immediately.

Urgent Call - A clinician (nurse or doctor) will ring back within 20 minutes.

Routine Call - A clinician (nurse or doctor) will ring back within 60 minutes.

You will be advised to call back should you feel that your symptoms have worsened in the meantime.

Please do not go to any of the CHoC treatment centres before contacting the CHoC telephone/typetalk service. If you need to be seen you will be given an appointment time to attend your nearest centre or a home visit will be arranged if this is appropriate. Please note that home visits are normally only for patients who are terminally ill, housebound or severely disabled. We will be ringing you back with your appointment time so it is important that you keep your line free so that we can get through without delay.