Whether you have a baby with a high temperature, a child who is being sick, a teenager who is feeling low, or you have sprained your ankle, and for many other health problems, the groundbreaking Health Help Now web app can guide you to the service that will help you best.
Developed by GPs, hospital doctors, paramedics and other healthcare professionals, Health Help Now (available online) is free to use.
Dr Doug Hing, clinical director for urgent care at NHS Merton Clinical Commissioning Group, has been the lead for this project. He said: "I am very excited about the potential for Health Help Now to put our local community more in control of their own health AND find the right treatment quickly when they need it...I am recommending it to my patients, and I hope everyone who lives and works in Merton will save it on their phone and/or computer so they have it ready if they need it, whether they're at home or out and about." You can download the app FREE at iTunes or Google Play.
Health Help Now, which works on smartphones, tablets and computers, lists common symptoms - such as breathing difficulties, injury and sickness - and offers suggestions for treatment for them based on five different age groups (baby, child, teenager, adult and older adult).
"Health Help Now has useful help and advice for people of every age. By using the app, people should be able to find the service in Merton that can help them, whatever time it is and wherever they are." It lists the most suitable option for most people first, with other suggestions following in order. It shows the nearest services, indicates whether these are open or closed, and provides a map of their location.
Dr Hing said: "Merton CCG's 'Whole Merton' vision recognises that people want care to be delivered for the whole of "me", and for care providers to act 'as one team'. The Merton Health Help Now is an innovative solution to help people find information about different aspects of their health, care and support needs in one place, and to assist them to take the right action quickly, also helping them have to avoid going to A&E unless they really need to...We expect it to be particularly useful for young adults, parents of young children and people of working age who may be less familiar with the local NHS services than other residents...That will help them, and by keeping A&E free for those who really need it, it will also help the NHS focus lifesaving care on those most seriously ill and injured patients."
FOR URGENT HEALTH ADVICE 24 HOURS A DAY, OR IF YOU DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS, PHONE 111.
Web: merton.healthhelpnow-nhs.net/
Twitter: @NHSHealthHelp (#healthhelpnow)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nhshealthhelpnow