On holiday and need medical attention - best thing to do?

[Neonlemon]

On holiday in Devon and have felt flu type symptoms for the last few days. I've developed a sore throat with a swollen gland on one side which is making the side of my face numb.

Should I go to the nearest A&E dept or the local medical centre? I don't really want to wait around for 111 to ring me back and I don't want to leave it in case I need antibiotics.

Can anyone advise at all? Thanks!

ask a pharmacist

Just contact a local GP surgery. You can see a GP anywhere for urgent purposes. I’ve done so before while on holiday.

Great, thank you. I will have a look now.

Go to a GP. You don't have to be at home to do that. You can be seen as a temporary resident.

Phone and say that you need an urgent appointment.

In Cornwall last year youngest developed a water infection. Rang 111 and they got us a gp appointment locally

111 will get you a local GP appointment. Call them now before the rush.

That’s what 111 is for

You can't just go to A&E because you don't want to wait around for 111 to call you back.

A&E is (supposed to be) for absolute emergencies.

You should phone 111, you can then either be given an appointment at a local GP or more likely you'll be diagnoised over the phone by a doctor who phones you back and prescribed anti biotics and sent to a local pharmacy to pick them up

I wouldnt have thought you'll get an appointment ringing a local GP given that the locals wont get an appointment most of the time (certainly not where I live anyway - its usually a prescription sent straight to the pharmacy with no discussion with me at all)

FFS don't go to a and e. It's neither an accident or emergency.

111 is designed for this. Ring them for a GP appointment.

Failing that a pharmacy

Call 111. They can organise an appointment somewhere locally for you

Calm down, I know what A&E is for which is why I want to avoid it. Just rang 111 who've advised contacting local pharmacy. No urgent GP appointments available locally.

In Wales last year we rang 111 who directed us to local GP surgery. DH waited 20 minutes to be seen. As I told our own surgery ‘how come we could walk in and see a GP in Wales when we couldn’t even get an appointment to see our own GP when we got back?’