Out-of-hours care
Your illness might be unpredictable. There may be times when you unexpectedly need extra care or support. This can be especially difficult if it happens at night or at the weekend, when your usual healthcare professionals might not be available.
You can ask your GP and district nurse what support is available outside normal surgery hours. If there’s a medical emergency at any time, call 999.
On this page:
What is out-of-hours care?
Out-of-hours care is for people who need treatment or nursing care outside the regular healthcare team’s working hours. This usually includes evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays (eg Christmas and bank holidays).
If you are living with a terminal illness and need care out-of-hours, you may be able to receive out-of-hours palliative care.
When should I contact out-of-hours care?
You should contact out-of-hours services if you need help from a healthcare professional before your usual doctor or nurse is available. For example, if you’re worried or you have urgent symptoms that you can’t manage, like pain or agitation.
Who should I contact for out-of-hours care?
You may have been given a specific number to call – for example, to reach the district nurse or community nursing team. Some hospices and palliative care teams have a 24-hour phone line you can call.
Keep these numbers in a memorable place, like on the fridge. If you haven’t been given a phone number, you can use the numbers below.
If you live in England, you can call the GP surgery, where you'll usually be directed to an out-of-hours service. You can also call 111. Different GP surgeries provide different out-of-hours services, depending on where you live.
If you live in Scotland, call 111.
If you live in Wales, you can call the GP surgery, where you'll usually be directed to an out-of-hours service. You can also find the number for your local out-of-hours service from NHS Wales. And you can call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47 or 111, depending on where you live.
The 111 helpline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can connect you to a nurse or GP as necessary. Some areas of the UK have a 24-hour district nurse service.
If you live in Northern Ireland, call your GP surgery, where you’ll be directed to an out-of-hours service. You can also find the number for your local out-of-hours service from nidirect .
If there’s an emergency at any time, call 999 for an ambulance.
The biggest issue was not knowing you could access care in the middle of the night. But it’s about navigating the services.
What to expect
When calling an out-of-hours service, you may be asked some questions by an adviser so they can get you help. It may seem frustrating to be asked a lot of questions. Try to give the out-of-hours service all the detail that you can. If you have a list of medications you are taking, it might be helpful to have this with you for the call.
They will decide who to put you in touch with and can arrange a call back or a home visit from a doctor, nurse or other health worker. The time it takes for a call back can vary. They can also advise you where to go for treatment. This could be an NHS walk-in centre, an urgent care centre, or the accident and emergency department (A&E) at your hospital.
All the services above will be able to send an ambulance if needed.
Will I have to go to hospital?
Some people worry that if they contact the out-of-hours service, they will be taken into hospital. It depends on what the issue is, but it’s possible you may have to go to hospital to get the right care.
If you don’t want to go to hospital, you can make this clear to the healthcare professionals. They will try to follow your wishes, although it’s not always possible. Having a care plan in place may help with this.
Out-of-hours medicines
If you run out of a medicine and the GP surgery is shut, there are several things you can do.
If you have a prescription, you should be able to get your medicine from any pharmacy as long as they’ve got it in stock . You can check which pharmacies are open near you on the NHS website. Many pharmacies are open seven days a week, and some until late at night.
If you don’t have your prescription with you, you may still be able to get an emergency supply from the pharmacy without it. If you have an old prescription or medicine box, it is helpful to take that with you.
The pharmacist will ask you some questions, like the dose you normally take, and who usually prescribes the medicine. They may not always be able to prescribe the medicine, if they don’t think it is appropriate. If they do give you the medicine, you sometimes have to pay for this, even if you wouldn’t normally.
If you don’t have a prescription, you may be able to get one by going to an NHS walk-in centre. Or you can call the out-of-hours service and explain what’s happened – they may arrange a consultation with an out-of-hours GP.
Managing medicines at home
Being able to manage symptoms at home can help with avoiding going into hospital when you don’t want to. We have more information on our page, Managing medication.
Overnight hospice care from Marie Curie
Marie Curie specialises in care for people living with a terminal illness. A Marie Curie Healthcare Assistant or Nurse may be able to visit to help take care of you. They can help by giving medication for symptoms, emotional support, and giving anyone who helps look after you a chance to get some rest.
This kind of care is not an emergency service and is usually organised in advance. It’s not available in all areas of the UK – ask your GP or nurse whether Marie Curie Nurses is available in your area and whether they can organise it for you.
Marie Curie also has a rapid response service, which is available in some areas. Rapid response nurses can come to your home or give support over the phone if you need urgent care in the night or at the weekend. They can help to manage your symptoms and give you emotional support.
If there is one in your area, the district nurse or GP may arrange for a rapid response nurse to visit. They may come to your home and give medications. If a rapid response team operates in your area, the team may give you their contact number. Other healthcare services, like the ambulance service, out of hours GP, or 111, can also refer you to the rapid response service.
External websites
NHS Inform - Scotland
NHS - Where can I get an emergency supply of medicine?
Did you find this page useful?
Help us be there for anyone with an illness they're likely to die from by telling us what you think.
If you are completing this survey using a desktop computer, hold down the Ctrl button to select multiple options.
About this information
This information is not intended to replace any advice from health or social care professionals. We suggest that you consult with a qualified professional about your individual circumstances. Read more about how our information is created and how it's used.
