Christmas and New Year bank holiday weekends around the corner, the NHS in Sefton is reminding you of the expert advice and treatments available from your local pharmacy when you need it the most.
Your local pharmacy can offer free, confidential and expert advice on a range of health issues. They can also help you to self-care and prepare for many common winter illnesses and offer advice on which medicines to keep in stock at home.
Dr Anna Ferguson, Bootle GP and NHS South Sefton CCG’s lead for medicines, said:
“With GP practices closed on the Bank Holiday weekends, it is important that residents, especially those who require a repeat prescription, plan well ahead.
“Several pharmacies will be open, so that if you or a loved one falls ill, there is help out there. Not only that, but pharmacists can offer support to help encourage self-care. You don’t need to make an appointment to speak to your pharmacist and you can expect a confidential and discrete consultation within a private area in the pharmacy.
“It’s important to remember that A&E and 999 services are under particular pressure over this time of the year and are for life threatening and serious conditions, so by planning ahead and using your local pharmacy, you can not only avoid any unnecessary visits to the A&E, but also help to ease pressure and ensure that the service is readily available for people when they need it most.”
Dr Hilal Mulla, Southport GP and NHS Southport and Formby CCG’s lead for medicines, said:
“This is a very busy time for health services, so it’s more important than ever that you use the NHS wisely to get the right advice and care should you or someone you look after becomes ill over the festive period. We’re asking that you Examine Your Options and choose from the range of help that’s available close to home when your GP surgery is closed, including from your local pharmacy.
“You’ll find a chemist not far from home, even on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day and your pharmacist can give you expert health advice and over the counter treatments for the most common illnesses and ailments without the need for an appointment.
“We’re also asking you to take some simple steps to make sure you’re prepared for the holidays by stocking up on over the counter medicines and speaking to your GP practice early to making sure you’ve got enough of your repeat prescriptions whilst remembering not to over order.
“Medicines like paracetamol and ibuprofen are good for a range of common winter illnesses. It’s useful to keep a supply at home and your pharmacist will be happy to advise if you’re not sure.
“Our Care at the Chemist scheme is offered in a number of Sefton pharmacies making sure vulnerable patients who don’t routinely pay for their prescriptions have free and easy access to the over the counter medicines they need without seeing a doctor. You’ll find a list of those that offer the scheme on our website.”
Which pharmacies are open?
Several pharmacies will be open throughout the festive bank holiday period and the best way to find out your nearest is to check on your CCG’s website.
You will also find more information to help you Examine Your Options when you are unwell, including walk-in centre opening times and accessing the out of hours GP service by simply calling 111.
In south Sefton, you can find out here:
In Southport and Formby, you can find out here:
Remember Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fall on a Sunday this year, so if you need a pharmacist on either day, please visit www.nhs.uk to see which are open near to you.
You’ll find the following pharmacies open near you over the festive holidays:
Christmas Day Monday 25 December 2017
- Cambridge Road Pharmacy, 137 Cambridge Road, Churchtown, Southport, PR9 7LT, 01704 227065 – 2pm to 4pm
- Fishlock Chemists, 17 Station Road, Ainsdale, Southport, PR8 3HN, 01704 575478 – 10am to 12pm
- Ryders Chemist Ltd, 41 Old Town Lane, Formby, L37 3HJ, 01704 872173 – 12pm to 1pm
- Drakes Pharmacy, 1a, Aintree Road, Bootle, Liverpool, L20 9DL, 0151 944 1007 – 12pm to 4pm
- Higgins Pharmacy, 77 Crosby Road North, Waterloo, Liverpool, L22 4QD, 0151 920 6803 – 12pm to 2pm
- Netherton Pharmacy, Gordon Youth Centre, Durham Avenue, Netherton, L30 1RF, 0151 525 7706 – 12pm to 2pm
- Rowlands Pharmacy, 86 Waddicar Lane, Melling, Liverpool, L31 1DY, 0151 546 042 – 12pm to 2pm
- Station Pharmacy, 24 Station Road, Maghull, Liverpool, L31 3DB, 0151 526 1805 – 10am to 12pm
Boxing Day Tuesday 26 December 2017
- Asda Pharmacy, Central 12 Shopping Park, Derby Road, Southport, PR9 0TY, 01704 502 260 – 9am to 6pm
- Boots Pharmacy, 31-39 Chapel Street, Southport, PR8 1AH, 01704 533907 – 8.30am to 5.30pm
- Boots Pharmacy, Unit3, Central 12 Shopping Park, Derby Road, Southport, PR9 0TQ, 01704 536937 – 9am to 6pm
- Lloyds Pharmacy, In Sainsbury’s, St. Georges, Lord Street, Southport, PR9 0AF, 01704 531046 – 9am to 6pm
- Ryders Chemist Ltd, 41 Old Town Lane, Formby, L37 3HJ, 01704 872173 – 12pm to 1pm
- Asda Pharmacy, 81 Strand Road, Bootle, Liverpool, L20 4BB, 0151 955 4120 – 9am to 6pm
- Asda Pharmacy, Asda Superstore, Ormskirk Road Aintree, Liverpool, L10 3LN, 0151 520 4410 – 9am to 6pm
- Boots Pharmacy, Unit 5b, Aintree Racecourse Retail Park, Liverpool, L9 5AN, 0151 523 7349 – 9am to 6pm
New Year’s Day Monday 1 January 2018
- Asda Pharmacy, Central 12 Shopping Park, Derby Road, Southport, PR9 0TY, 01704 502 260 – 10am to 6pm
- Boots Pharmacy, Unit3, Central 12 Shopping Park, Derby Road, Southport, PR9 0TQ, 01704 536937 – 11am to 5pm
- Lloyds Pharmacy, In Sainsbury’s, St. Georges, Lord Street, Southport, PR9 0AF, 01704 531046 – 9am to 6pm
- Asda Pharmacy, 81 Strand Road, Bootle, Liverpool, L20 4BB, 0151 955 4120 – 10am to 6pm
- Asda Pharmacy, Asda Superstore, Ormskirk Road Aintree, Liverpool, L10 3LN, 0151 520 4410 – 10am to 6pm
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