Vomiting and diarrhoea

If you are experiencing vomiting or diarrhoea please call 111 or ask to speak with a doctor at the surgery over the phone. Many illnesses with these symptoms are highly contagious and you may risk affecting others by coming to the surgery.

Illnesses that cause vomiting and diarrhoea such as gastroenteritis, norovirus and rotavirus are highly contagious. They can be passed easily between people, so it is recommended that if you do experience these symptoms you stay off work or school, and avoid any unnecessary contact with people.

The biggest health risk of these illnesses is dehydration, so it is important you drink a lot of water. It is also recommended to eat frequent light meals, rather than avoiding food altogether.

If you feel that you need medical assistance, you should first call 111. You will receive professional medical advice on whether you need further help, but without the risk of passing any infection to others.

You should seek medical advice from 111 in the following situations:

• If you suspect that you are becoming dehydrated.
• If you are vomiting a lot and unable to keep fluids down.
• If you have blood in your diarrhoea or vomit.
• If you have severe abdominal pain.
• If you have severe symptoms, or if you feel that your condition is getting worse.
• If you have a persisting high fever.
• If your symptoms are not settling - for example, vomiting for more than 1-2 days, or diarrhoea that does not start to settle after 3-4 days.
• Infections caught abroad.
• If you are elderly or have an underlying health problem such as diabetes, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease.
• If you have a weakened immune system because of, for example, chemotherapy treatment, long-term steroid treatment, HIV infection.
• If you are pregnant.