NHS issues medicine warning for Easter weekend: Here's how to find out if your pharmacy is open

Are you on repeat prescription and need to top up the vital supply? A lot of GPs and pharmacies won’t operate in the coming days. Here's how to find out if your pharmacy is open.

Act on your prescription now

As Easter store closures are nearly there, you might want to check you have enough medication to tide you over.

NHS bosses warn that it's vital that you order any repeat prescriptions 'as soon as possible'.

Pharmacies or GPs might be closed or have different opening times between Saturday, April 8 and Monday, April 10, and it will affect the speed of your order processing, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust said.

Dr Paula Cowan, the NHS North West medical director for primary care, commented:

If a patient is due a repeat prescription in the days coming up to and around the bank holiday weekend, they should get that request in as soon as possible.

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Dr Cowan said to keep in mind emergency and urgent care services - as well as NHS 111 - are currently under pressure.

What to do if you run out of your meds and pharmacies are closed?

Other trusts such as NHS Royal Berkshire advise you to go to NHS 111 online if you do run out of your prescription medication over the break and need an emergency supply. They will be able to signpost you on how to access your meds.

Dr Cowan noted that the best way to order repeat prescriptions was through the NHS appor on a GP's website.

She explained:

Many practices now have websites where patients can order repeat prescriptions, and they will go to their nominated pharmacy. It streamlines things and makes it easier as there's less need to drop off a prescription into the practice and come back within three days. Doing it electronically means that it's at the pharmacy within 72 hours.

You can check whether a pharmacy will be open during the bank holiday on your regional NHS website. You can also use the NHS Pharmacy Finder to find an open pharmacy near you: nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy.

If you think you need urgent dental treatment, contact your dentist. If you cannot contact your dentist or don’t have one, use the NHS 111 online service. If needed, an urgent appointment will be arranged at an out-of-hours service.

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Sources used:

- The Sun: 'Urgent NHS prescriptions warning ahead of the Easter bank holidays – are you affected?'

- NHS: 'Pharmacy opening hours information'