Make sure your medicine cabinet is as well stocked as your cupboards this festive season
15/12/2011
With the Christmas break around the corner, it’s important that you plan ahead and make sure you have any prescriptions and medicines that you need.
With people out and about celebrating more than usual and enjoying the Bank Holidays over the festive season, Gloucestershire Care Services is asking that people ensure their prescriptions and essential medicines are up to date beforethe Christmas holidays.
Helen Hodgson, Gloucestershire Care Services’ Head of Unscheduled Care, including the Out of Hours Service, said: “GPs’ surgeries will be closed on public holidays and with Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on weekends this year, there are more holidays than usual.
“It is, therefore, vital that anyone with a repeat prescription makes sure they have enough medication to last them for the festive period.
“In previous years, the GP Out of Hours service has been inundated with calls from people requesting a repeat prescription. This can take up doctors’ time when they could be treating patients and is unnecessary if people take some time to plan ahead.”
Remember a well stocked medicine cabinet can help treat everyday illnesses at home – a small supply of painkillers such as paracetamol, decongestants and other remedies can help relieve the symptoms of many common health complaints.
Pharmacists are qualified to give expert advice on things like coughs, colds, sore throats, aches and pains, sprains and stomach upsets. They can also advise on whether a trip to the doctor, or hospital, is necessary.
Although most pharmacies will be closed on public holidays there is a list of opening hours and a rota of pharmacists which are open on Sundays and Bank Holidays online at http://www.nhsglos.nhs.uk/your-services/pharmacists/bhopeninghours/
People can also get advice on which NHS services to use, by calling NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 (available 24 hours a day) or logging on to www.choosewellglos.nhs.uk
Gloucestershire Care Services’ Community Hospital Minor Injury Units also treat a variety of injuries and illnesses such as sprains, cuts and wounds, minor fractures and minor head injuries.
There are Minor Injury Units at Cirencester Hospital, Dilke Memorial Hospital, Lydney and District Hospital, Moreton District Hospital, Stroud General Hospital, Tewkesbury Hospital and Vale Community Hospital (Dursley). Visit www.choosewellglos.nhs.uk for opening hours.
If you urgently need a doctor during a public holiday, you can call the GP Out of Hours service on 08454 220 220. Staff will either; advise you over the phone, refer you to a local Out of Hours centre, arrange a home visit by a Doctor or send an ambulance if they feel it is needed.
The county’s two main hospital A&E departments should only be used when it is a life threatening or critical situation, such as difficulty in breathing or a suspected stroke. Hundreds of people attend A&E at Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal Hospitals each day but not all of them have emergency care needs.
