Your local GP practice provides a wide range of health services, including medical advice, vaccinations, examinations and treatment, prescriptions for medicines, referrals to other health services and social services.
In Leeds, there are 88 GP practices, which care for around 900,000 people. All practice populations in Leeds are covered by a primary care network (PCN). This is a group of practices which works together and with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary organisations in their local areas. There are 19 PCNs in Leeds. For details of practices and PCNS, please visit the Leeds GP Confederation website.
PCNs provide a wider range of services to patients, involving a wider variety of health care professions, than would be possible in a single practice – for example, physiotherapy and mental health services, evening and weekend appointments (extended access) and social prescribing.
If you become unwell or have a health concern, please consider if other services might be able to help, such as:
- a pharmacy for advice and treatment for minor conditions
- a local minor injury unit or urgent care centre for treatment of strains, sprains and flesh wounds
- nhs.uk online or NHS 111 if you have an urgent medical problem, but you’re not sure what to do
- or a sexual health service for testing for sexually transmitted infections and contraception advice
If you do need to contact your GP practice, you will be asked a number of questions by a receptionist who is trained in helping people get the right support, at the right time. The information you give will help make sure your appointment is with the health care professional who can best help you. This could be a nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, health care assistant, pharmacist as well as a doctor.
Initial consultations may be by phone or by video, but all GP practices offer face to face appointments when needed.
For more information about GP services, including how to find one, how to register and how to get the most out of your appointment, please visit www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps
All GP practices in Leeds also offer evening and weekend appointments at extended access hubs. Please visit the extended access page for more information + link
If you’re not sure which service you need, please contact NHS 111 online or by phone.
Remember that hospital emergency departments (A&E) or 999 are for life threatening injuries and illnesses. These include chest pain, breathing difficulties, bleeding that won’t stop, choking, severe burns or scalds or if you think you may be having a stroke. For more information, please visit www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care-services/when-to-go-to-ae/
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