Ahead of the early May bank holiday (4th May), people in Cheshire and Merseyside are reminded to use NHS 111 online as their first point of contact for non-emergency medical advice.
Pharmacies may have limited opening hours over the bank holiday, and many will be closed on Monday 4 May, making it more challenging for patients to access medicines at short notice. Waiting and using emergency or urgent services over the break puts added pressure on already busy NHS services.
Over the long weekend, urgent and emergency care services will be open as normal. The public should call 999 or attend accident and emergency services in the event of a life or limb-threatening emergency. For non-emergency health advice, people can contact NHS 111 online at 111.nhs.uk, which offers the same help and advice as the telephone service. If you cannot access 111 online, please call 111.
111.nhs.uk can help you with:
- where to get help for your symptoms, if you’re not sure what to do
- how to find general health information and advice
- where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
- how to get a repeat prescription
- getting emergency dental appointments
You should still ring 999 if you or someone else experiences:
- signs of a heart attack, such as pain like a heavy weight in the centre of your chest
- signs of stroke, such as your face dropping on one side
- difficulty breathing
- heavy bleeding that won’t stop
- seizures
- or sudden and rapid swelling of the eyes, lips, throat, or tongue
Your local pharmacist can also provide advice and treatment for a wide range of minor conditions. They can also provide treatment where appropriate for the conditions below without the need to see your GP. You can find your nearest pharmacy by going to find your pharmacy.
- sinusitis
- sore throat
- earache
- infected insect bites and stings
- impetigo
- shingles
- uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) in women
NHS 111 online is not available for children under five. People looking for urgent medical help for under 5s should use the 111 phone line.
For more information on how to get urgent help please visit: Urgent help – NHS Cheshire and Merseyside