Emergencies
They happen all the time, at the most inconvenient times - late at night, in the wee hours of the morning, on weekends when so many things are closed...
Emergencies can range from simple things like a nail puncture to very serious issues like a heart attack or stroke.
For very serious emergencies like the following:
- Severe chest pain (possible heart attack)
- Sudden severe shortness of breath
- Sudden loss of movement in an arm or leg
- Sudden blindness in one eye
- Heavy bleeding in pregnancy
- Sudden prolapse of umbilical cord in labour
- Massive vomiting of blood
- Heavy bloody diarrhoea
- Sudden one-sided weakness (possible stroke)
...you should get an ambulance and go to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (436-5446) at once. These and similar conditions can be rapidly fatal and no time should be wasted going to a doctor's office, though you may certainly contact him/her for advice.
For emergencies of a lesser nature, we can help. We can always be contacted during the week at the office using the contact numbers below. On weekends when the office is closed you can usually get Mr Shepherd by calling the operator at Bayview Hospital (436-5446), while Dr Scholar-Shepherd can be found by calling MD Alliance Surgery and Birthing Centre (622-2424).
We are usually on vacation during the month of August and the early part of September every year and are then not available. However we always have doctors alerted to handle any emergencies that may befall our patients. A call to our office will inform you of the doctors on hand.