When the surgery is closed, out of hours care of our patients is delegated to the CHoC (Cumbria Health on Call) service.
CHoC covers from 6.30pm until 8.00am weekdays and all weekend (from 6.30pm Friday until 8.00am Monday morning).
Bank holidays, Easter and Christmas closures are also covered by CHoC, as are our training afternoons that take place once a month.
If you need to see a doctor or nurse out of surgery hours, or you would like some advice then you should use the CHoC service.
To get in contact with CHoC all you have to do is ring the surgery number on 016974 78254. This will divert you directly to the CHoC service.
Or you can ring CHoC directly on 01228 401999.
The main treatment centres are at Hilltop Heights in Carlisle, Lowther Medical Centre in Whitehaven and Penrith Community Hospital where the doctors or nurses will invite you down for treatment or if you are too poorly to attend, visit you in your own home.
CHoC will also hold surgeries at satellite centres at certain times in Community Hospitals in Millom, Keswick, Workington and Wigton. Details can be obtained from the central control room number above.
Once CHoC have attended to you, a record of that consultation is forwarded to the surgery so that any necessary follow up can be arranged on the next working day.
The majority of doctors working for CHoC are local GPs, but CHoC do employ a small number of their own doctors to provide additional cover.
You may also like to use NHS Direct for advice out of hours on 0845 4647 or www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
In an emergency also use 999 to request an emergency ambulance.
If necessary, patients can always present themselves directly to one of the two casualty departments in North Cumbria, at the Cumberland Infirmary or Whitehaven Hospital.
There are also minor injury units in Penrith, Keswick and Brampton hospitals, but these are for minor injuries only.
For more information regarding out of hours go to www.northcumbriahealth.nhs.uk