The next step up from Urgent Care is Emergency Care. Emergency Care is provided by the Emergency Department at St. Mary’s or by calling a 999 ambulance.  The Emergency Department and 999 are for life threatening situations e.g. major trauma or loss of blood, unconsciousness, chest pain, etc.

Urgent Care Service (UCS) (formerly Beacon Health Centre) is co-located with the Emergency Department at St Mary’s and treats urgent care needs. Those attending the Urgent Care Service will have been advised to do so by a health professional – doctor, dentist, optician, pharmacist, nurse, paramedic, etc.  Those attending the Urgent Care Service, depending on their needs, will be seen by a nurse, a community practitioner or a GP.   The Urgent Care Service will redirect individuals to other services where the individual does not have an urgent care need and their problem can be better dealt with by another service. *Please note that it is no longer possible to see a GP at the Urgent Care Service between 8am and 6.30pm on weekdays. At these times, people will need to make appointments with their GP practice.