Families in Swindon and Wiltshire will be able to access festive healthcare from their local pharmacies this Christmas and New Year season, with many in the region planning to stay open on the bank holidays.
A number of pharmacies will be open to people in need of an emergency prescription, help with a minor condition or general healthcare advice on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, as well as on the substitute bank holidays on Tuesday 27th December and Monday 2nd January.
Two pharmacies will be open in Swindon on Christmas Day, Jhoots on Victoria Road, and Jhoots at the Health Centre in Currie Avenue.
There will be seven open in Wiltshire, including Rowlands in Bemerton Heath, Shaunaks Pharmacy in Corsham and LloydsPharmacy in Chippenham.
People are advised to check when their nearest pharmacy will be open, with the
Christmas and New Year hours for all pharmacies in Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset now available to view online.
Gill May, Chief Nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “The end of the year is always a very busy time for the NHS, and our local health and care services are definitely feeling that right now.
“With demand only expected to increase as we approach Christmas, people can play their part in easing some of this sustained pressure by choosing right when seeking help for minor injuries and illnesses.
“For most, this will mean taking a quick trip to a nearby pharmacy, where fast and effective healthcare advice and treatment can be had without an appointment, or going online to use NHS 111.
“Both of these options are fantastic when the concern is only minor but help is still required, such as for sprains and strains, upset stomachs, and coughs and colds.”
People can also visit one of more than 80 pharmacies in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire to receive medication for common treatments that would have previously only been available after visiting a GP.
Pharmacists at these selected pharmacies can now dispense prescription medicine for sore throats, female urine infections, impetigo and dermatitis, both of which are common skin infections, and conjunctivitis.
