What to do if…
you have a fever with a stiff neck or sensitivity to light

What to do now

1. Get urgent medical help now.

   • Call 999 and say: “fever plus stiff neck or sensitivity to light” and that you are worried about meningitis or sepsis.
   • If you are already travelling for help, go to the nearest A&E rather than waiting for a GP appointment.
   • If the person is stable and you are genuinely unsure how urgent this is, contact NHS 111 or the relevant local 111 service for urgent advice, but do not delay 999 or A&E if they are getting worse or you are worried.

2. Keep the unwell person watched and easy to reach.

   • Stay with them, or ask another adult to stay with them.
   • Keep them within sight and check that they can be woken and can answer simple questions.
   • Keep the phone nearby, on loudspeaker if useful, and charge it if possible.

3. Tell 999 or A&E about any danger signs.

   • Confusion, unusual drowsiness, being hard to wake, or becoming unresponsive.
   • Seizure or fit.
   • Breathing that looks difficult or unusually fast.
   • Cold hands and feet, vomiting, diarrhoea, or pale, mottled, blotchy, or very unusual-looking skin.
   • Severe or worsening headache, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights, or severe muscle, joint, or limb pain.
   • For a baby: refusing feeds, a high-pitched cry, unusual irritability, a stiff or floppy body, being hard to wake, or a bulging soft spot on the head.
   • A rash or spots that do not fade under pressure: press the side of a clear glass firmly against the rash and see whether it fades.
   • A rash may not appear, and it may be harder to see on brown or black skin. Check paler areas such as the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, whites of the eyes, inside the eyelids, roof of the mouth, and tummy.

4. Write down only the key facts if this does not delay help.

   • When the fever started.
   • When the neck stiffness or light sensitivity began.
   • Any recent infection, close contact with someone very unwell, or recent travel.
   • Current medicines, allergies, major conditions, and pregnancy status if relevant.

5. Use only simple comfort steps while help is being arranged.

   • Offer small sips of water if the person is fully awake and able to swallow.
   • Use only medicines you know are safe for that person, as directed on the packet, and do not delay getting urgent help to see whether medicine “works”.
   • Keep the room calm and avoid bright light if it is painful.