Have you ever wondered about how health services in town work or are you worried about certain health conditions?

Dr Dan Bunstone, GP at Chapelford Medical Centre, has all the answers to those burning questions.

Warrington Hospital’s A&E department has begun a scheme whereby patients who don’t need to be there will be redirected to their GP. What kind of complaints should I go to A&E with and where should I go if it’s not an emergency?

NHS Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group recognises that health care services across the country are currently very busy.

To address this locally, the CCG has been working with Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and our partners in health and social care to help people access the most appropriate care and avoid unnecessary visits to A&E.

As part of this, if you attend A&E and your condition doesn’t need emergency care and can be treated much better by your GP practice you will be redirected to your GP practice for advice or treatment.

A&E treats patients with serious or life threatening illnesses or injuries so you should only visit A&E when your situation is a genuine emergency.

You should only attend A&E for things like severe chest pain, blood loss, choking or blacking out.

There are other health services across Warrington that can provide more appropriate treatment if you have a minor injury or illness.

Using the right health care service for your needs can prevent you waiting hours in A&E, ensure you receive the right treatment at the right time in the most appropriate place and importantly free up emergency healthcare staff to help those patients who need urgent care.

GPs and practices are working incredibly hard to manage daily demand, but have ensured additional capacity to support patients and their colleagues in A&E.

However, I’d advise everyone to examine their options before coming to see their GP to help our local NHS services see everyone in the right place at the right time.

For example, local pharmacies don’t just dispense prescriptions - they also offer a wide range of advice for everyday illnesses and minor ailments.

For more information, about how you can help our doctors and nurses in GP practices, the community and in our hospitals, please visit: examineyouroptions.info.

Groups across the town have been marking Mental Health Awareness Week. What should I do if I or someone I know is suffering from a mental health issue?

If you're having mental health problems, you're not alone – one in four of us will have problems with our mental health at some time in our lives.

Mental health problems aren’t something we should be ashamed of or shy away of talking about.

Sometimes, just feeling like someone has listened to our worries takes great strain off our minds.

Just like looking after our physical health we should all keep an eye on how we are feeling – there is no health without good mental health.

Whatever it is that worries you here are 10 ways to help you cope with your day-to-day fears and anxieties.

1. Take time out. It's impossible to think clearly when you're flooded with fear or anxiety. The first thing to do is take time out so you can physically calm down. Distract yourself from the worry for 15 minutes by walking around the block, making a cup of tea or having a bath.

2. Breathe through panic. If you start to get a faster heartbeat or sweating palms, the best thing is not to fight it. Stay where you are and simply feel the panic without trying to distract yourself. Place the palm of your hand on your stomach and breathe slowly and deeply. The goal is to help the mind get used to coping with panic, which takes the fear of fear away.

3. Face your fears. Avoiding fears only makes them scarier. Whatever your fear, if you face it, it should start to fade. If you panic one day getting into a lift, for example, it's best to get back into a lift the next day.

4. Imagine the worst. Try imagining the worst thing that can happen – perhaps it's panicking and having a heart attack. Then try to think yourself into having a heart attack. It's just not possible. The fear will run away the more you chase it.

5. Look at the evidence. It sometimes helps to challenge fearful thoughts. For example, if you're scared of getting trapped in a lift and suffocating, ask yourself if you have ever heard of this happening to someone. Ask yourself what you would say to a friend who had a similar fear.

6. Don't try to be perfect. Life is full of stresses, yet many of us feel that our lives must be perfect. Bad days and setbacks will always happen, and it's important to remember that life is messy.

7. Visualise a happy place. Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a place of safety and calm. It could be a picture of you walking on a beautiful beach, or snuggled up in bed with the cat next to you, or a happy memory from childhood. Let the positive feelings soothe you until you feel more relaxed.

8. Talk about it. Sharing fears takes away a lot of their scariness. If you can't talk to a partner, friend or family member, call a helpline such as the Samaritans (116 123, open 24 hours a day). If your fears aren't going away, you can ask your GP for help. GPs can refer people for counselling, psychotherapy or help through an online mental health service, such as FearFighter.

9. Go back to basics. Lots of people turn to alcohol or drugs to self-treat anxiety, but this will only make matters worse. Simple, everyday things like a good night's sleep, a wholesome meal and a walk are often the best cures for anxiety.

10. Reward yourself. Finally, give yourself a treat. When you've made that call you've been dreading, for example, reinforce your success by treating yourself to a massage, a country walk, a meal out, a book, a DVD, or whatever little gift makes you happy.

See your GP if you've been feeling depressed for more than a few weeks or your anxiety is affecting your daily life.

If you want to talk to someone right away the Samaritans helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for people who want to talk in confidence - call 116 123 free.

If you've had thoughts of self-harming or are feeling suicidal contact someone you can trust immediately, such as your GP, or a friend or relative.

Have you got a question for Dr Dan? Email adam.everett@nqnw.co.uk with your health query.

We regret that Dr Dan cannot talk about individual cases. All advice provided is for general information only and should not be treated as a substitute for face to face medical advice.