Be ahead of the third Bank Holiday rush!

The third bank holiday of May is fast approaching and whether you are planning to spend it with friends or with family, don’t let the holiday rush catch you out. 

It is advised to take the necessary precautions to make sure you’re stocked up on all your prescriptions and know who to go to if you need help. 

The Spring Bank Holiday is on the 29^th of May, GP surgeries will be closed and pharmacies will be running a holiday rota. Healthcare professionals are encouraging people to order their repeat prescriptions ahead of the bank holiday and make sure they are properly stocked up on the right medications. 

If you think you may need help you can use NHS 111 online. It’s very simple to use and users can be directed to the best and quickest option to receive help. You can also call 111. 

Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones MBE – Chief Medical Officer at Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board said: “It is important to get ahead of the busy bank holiday rush by making sure you are prepped and checking that all your medications are up-to-date. 

“Usually, our health services see a dramatic increase in calls and admissions during bank holiday periods from patients who are seeking general medical advice or experiencing minor illnesses.” 

As always, if you think you need additional support, you can call 111 or if you are in a life-threatening situation, you must call 999. 

For minor ailments such as a cough, hay fever, headaches or stomach bugs, you can refer to your community pharmacist and get medical advice or be prescribed over the counter medication. To find out which pharmacists will be operating, please refer to the Spring Bank Holiday rota.

Additionally, this information can be verified by completing a post code search on the NHS find a pharmacy service. 

For more information about Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent NHS health services, check our list of pharmacy opening times on the NHS website.