Feeling unwell?
Examine Your Options and details of Christmas and New Year opening times
Many GP surgeries will be closed on the bank holidays over Christmas and New Year and NHS Southport and Formby CCG is reminding people to examine their options and that A&E and 999 services are for life-threatening and serious conditions.
The CCG is also reminding people to think about ordering their prescriptions before the festive period but reminding them not to over order. You can download a list of pharmacies opening hours in your area here.
We have put together this useful guide to local services that will help you Examine Your Options if you are feeling unwell. You will also find links to service opening times over the festive period.
No matter what your age there are a range of health services across the area to support you and your family if you feel unwell or have any health concerns. There are services which you may be unfamiliar with, but could be more appropriate and convenient for you depending on your specific issue.
For minor ailments and injuries your best route to recover is likely to be self-care. See below for the variety of services that can support you to do this. If you need medical care for illnesses you cannot treat yourself, then your GP should be your next port of call.
Pharmacy Services
Your local pharmacy can offer free, confidential and expert advice on a range of health issues. They can help you prepare for many of the common illnesses like coughs and colds and ensure you have a well-stocked medicine cabinet over the holiday period. For a list of pharmacy opening times in your area click here.
NHS.UK
You can find a wealth of trusted advice about hundreds of health conditions and details of GPs, pharmacies and dentists in your local area by visiting the NHS.uk website. It also includes a symptom checker.
NHS 111
When you need medical help or advice fast, but it is not a 999 emergency, you can also call the NHS 111 service. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and calls are free from mobiles and landlines.
If you need medical care for illnesses you cannot treat yourself, then your GP should be your next port of call.
Your Local GP
Your GP should be your first point of contact for non-emergency illnesses for you and your children when you can’t treat them yourself. Your GP is available from 8.00am to 6.30pm weekdays.
If you don’t have a GP, you can register with your local surgery. If you’re not sure where this is, you can find out at: www.nhs.uk or call
The CCG has funded extra appointments at surgeries in Southport and Formby over the busy winter and holiday period to make it easier to get an appointment.
GP Out of Hours Service
If your local surgery is closed, you and your children can still see a GP with the GP out-of-hours service; just call 111 and you can speak to a local GP over the phone or face to face if necessary. It is very likely that you and your family will be seen and treated more quickly using the out-of-hours service than if you were waiting to see a doctor in A&E, especially at busy times.
Emergency dental services
If you need emergency treatment when your dentist is closed for the holidays you can call 01704 548 863 from 9am – 1pm & 6pm – 10pm on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.
Sexual health services
All of the sexual health clinics in Sefton will be closing at 3pm on Thursday 24th December and Thursday 31st December. They will also be closed on the Bank Holidays: Friday 25th December, Monday 28th December and Friday 1st January. You can find more information from the service’s website.
Emergency contraception is available at the below list of community pharmacists.
Emergency contraception is available at any hospital A&E or NHS Walk-In Centre. It is also available at the following pharmacies.
- Boots, 19 Elbow Lane, L37 4AB
- Boots, 34 Shakespeare Street, PR8 5AB
- Boots, 131-135 Cambridge Road, PR9 9SD
- Hirshmans Chemist, 64 Station Road, Ainsdale, Southport, PR8 3HW
- Rowlands Pharmacy, 13 Union Street, Southport, PR9 0QF
- Tesco Pharmacy, Town Lane Southport, PR8 5Jh
