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Families in Bath and North East Somerset, 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 27 December and Monday 2 January.

Six pharmacy sites will be open in Bath and North East Somerset on Christmas Day, including Boots in Weston, while there will be two in Swindon, including Jhoots on Victoria Road, and seven in Wiltshire, including Rowlands in Bemerton Heath.

All other pharmacies in the region will be active on the days leading up to Christmas, as well as those on the week prior to the new year, although many will have reduced opening hours.

People are advised to check when their nearest pharmacy will be open, with the Christmas and New Year hours for all pharmacies in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire 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.

Details of which pharmacies are participating in this scheme can be found online at www.bswicb.nhs.uk.

People should also visit the above address to find the Christmas and New Year pharmacy opening times, as well as other information on local health and care services.

Christmas and New Year opening times for pharmacies in Wiltshire

Christmas and New Year opening times for pharmacies in Bath and North East Somerset

Christmas and New Year opening times for pharmacies in Swindon