People in the Black Country are being reminded to order any repeat prescriptions they may need ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend.
GP practices and pharmacies will have limited opening hours over the Easter period, and many will be closed from Friday 7 April to Monday 10 April, making it important that people plan ahead by ordering any prescriptions they may need.
Waiting and using emergency or urgent services over the bank holiday for repeat prescriptions puts added pressure on already busy services.
Dr Ananta Dave, Chief Medical Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “Due to the bank holidays, some services such as GP surgeries and pharmacies may be closed or working on a reduced service. Running out of your usual medication can have serious consequences, especially if you use them to manage long-term health conditions.
“So, ahead of the long weekend, please check whether you have your required supply of prescribed medication, saving yourself the worry of possibly not getting what you need on time.
“By re-stocking medicine cabinets, knowing when your GP practice is open and planning ahead for repeat prescriptions, people can ensure they make the most of the Easter bank holiday.”
“The easiest way to order repeat prescriptions is via the NHS App or through your GP practice website. If you do not have access to GP online services, you can phone your GP practice to order prescriptions.”
You can find a full list of the pharmacies open this bank holiday, as well as opening times, here.
If people feel unwell over the bank holiday weekend, but it’s not life threatening, they can check their symptoms and access advice by using the NHS 111 service online or by calling NHS 111.
NHS 111 can help direct people to the most appropriate local health service if they aren’t sure where to go – this could include an out of hours GP, a pharmacy, a local NHS walk-in centre, or a hospital accident & emergency (A&E) department.
