should not have to travel far for urgent treatment. OUT OF HOURS NHS Suffolk has commissioned Harmoni to provide an urgent dental service throughout the Out of Hours period which is weekdays (6.30 pm -- 8.00 am), weekends and public holidays. Patients will ring a dedicated phone number and they will be asked the following questions by specially trained call handlers: Are you in pain and need to see an NHS Dentist urgently? [page three] Out of hours continued The patient's name and address The name of the patient's dentist Their contact telephone number The reason for their call The call handler is trained to assess the patient's safety and prioritise the call. If the patient needs to speak to a nurse or GP, they will be phoned back within a specified time. In the meantime, the patient will be asked to call back if their condition worsens. When the nurse or GP phones back, they will ask for more information about the dental problem. They will then; Refer the patient to the OOH dentist if on a Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday, or Offer advice on self-care, or Refer the patient to a local Primary Care Centre for an appointment to be seen by a doctor for pain relief, or Advise the patient to attend an Accident and Emergency (A&E) department. The OOH dentist is based at the Riverside Clinic in Ipswich and at Youth Centre, Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. The service