Health Service and other emergency services

911 or 999 is the number to call for the Emergency Services : Police: Fire: Ambulance or Coastguard.

There is a text relay via 1 800 1 101 for hard of hearing or deaf people (might be handy in remote rural where the phone signal is dodgy but for 999 calls, mobile phone will use ANY available providers infrastructure from mobiles).

 111 is the number to call for non emergency health advice

101 is the number for non emergency access to the police (e.g. lost and found).

Risks

Those travelling in remote and rural Scotland should be aware that services get sparse and therefore those with chronic conditions need to consider the risks.  The local General Practitioners (Doctors), Nurse Practitioners and Paramedics are highly trained but obviously they do not have the full facilities of an urban Accident and Emergency Hospital available. 

However, transfer including by helicopter (air ambulance or coastguard) will used as needed.  

IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO, PHONE NHS 24 on 111, and they will advise you or pass you onto other services.

If you need face to face advice, then pharmacists, general practices,  minor injury units and accident and emergency facilities and dentists are there to be used. 

This is the one stop shop for your nearest facility http://knowwhototurnto.org/  Just type in where you are and a list of the nearest facilities and the distance will be shown.

Emergency Treatment

NHS treatment at an Accident &  Emergency or casualty department, including treatment in an observation  ward, is free to everyone, regardless of their residency  status. Following this treatment, it is for NHS healthcare providers to  determine whether an overseas visitor requires further in-patient  treatment or registration as an outpatient, and whether or not they  should be charged for that treatment.

Non emergency treatment

There is some fuss in the press about overseas visitors using the NHS.  We have reciprocal arrangements with EU countries and quite a few others.  If you become unwell do seek advice : you won’t get hit with large bills without warning.

Full details on the formal rules are here http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/Overseas-visitors