NHS Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (BaNES CCG) is offering three pieces of advice to people feeling unwell this Bank Holiday weekend.
The advice is helping ensure local people are seen by the right person, in the right place, at the right time.
- Ask your pharmacist:
Pharmacists are expert in many aspects of healthcare and can offer advice on a wide range of long-term conditions and common illnesses such as coughs, colds and stomach upsets.
You don’t need an appointment and many have private consultation areas so they are a good first port of call. Your pharmacist will tell you if you need further medical attention
(A list of pharmacy open times are below)
- Call 111:
If your local GP surgery is closed and you’re not sure which NHS service you need then you can make a free phone call to NHS 111, which is available 24/7.
An adviser will ask you questions to assess your symptoms and then give you the advice you need or direct you to the best service for you in your area.
If required, the adviser will book you an appointment with the GP out-of-hours service which operates from the Urgent Care Centre at the Royal United Hospital in Bath as well as Paulton Memorial Hospital.
- A&E is for life-threatening emergencies
A&E departments are for life-threatening emergencies such as loss of consciousness, suspected heart attacks, breathing difficulties or severe bleeding that cannot be stopped.
If you’re not sure if you should go to A&E then call NHS 111 for advice first.
The following pharmacies will be open on Bank Holiday Monday:
Bath
- Boots, 33-35 Westgate, Bath, BA1 1EL: 10:30 to 16:30;
- Sainsbury’s Pharmacy, Green Park Station, Bath, BA1 2DR: 09:00 to 19.00;
- Lifestyle Pharmacy, 15 Westgate Street, Bath, BA1 1BE: 11:00 to 17:00;
- Boots, Newark Street, Southgate, Bath, BA1 1AT: 08:00 to 19:00.
Midsomer Norton
- Lloyds Pharmacy, Chesterfield House, High Street, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2DD: 10.00 to 16:00
Keynsham
- Boots, 40 High Street, Keynsham, BS31 1DX: 08.30 to 17.30 (closed for lunch between 13:00 and 14:00).
