The Adult Social Care Emergency Duty Service provide an emergency response for adults in need of community care support in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole, who are in crisis or need urgent help.

The Emergency Duty Service:

• provides emergency cover and access to essential services when our daytime services are closed
• gives information and advice and, where necessary, makes visits to further assess needs and provide services
• is open Monday to Thursday from 5pm to 9am and from 4.30pm Friday to 9am Monday
• is for adult social care

Telephone: 0300 1239895

(For the Children's Social Care Out of Hours Service, telephone 01202 738256.)

When to contact the adult's emergency duty service

You should call us if you or an adult you know needs urgent social care help outside of normal office hours.

• Monday to Thursday, from 5pm to 9am 
• Fridays, from 4pm to 9am on Monday 
• all bank holidays, including Christmas Day and New Years Day

If lines are busy, leave a clear message and tell us:

• your name 
• the nature of the emergency
• your telephone number

Outside of these times, you should use the normal daytime contact numbers for the service you need. If you don't have a number, or aren't sure which to call, you can call 01202 123 654.