Swindon patients urged to get repeat prescriptions before festive deadline

Repeat prescriptions must be picked up by Friday, December 16 at the latest so that medicines can be ordered and picked up before Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when many pharmacies are closed or working with reduced opening hours.

After this date, pharmacies in the area cannot guarantee that medicines will be ready for collection on or before Friday 23 December, which for many locations will be the last day before normal opening hours in January.

Nadine Fox, Director of Medicines Optimization at the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “We really don’t want anyone to be caught out this Christmas for not having enough medicine.

“Early ordering of repeat prescriptions not only ensures that people can enjoy the celebrations with the knowledge that they have enough of what they need to stay healthy, but also helps our fellow pharmacists to effectively manage all incoming requests .

“It’s no secret that all NHS services are incredibly busy at this time of year and anything people can do to take some pressure off, like making sure they have enough medicine, is greatly appreciated.”

Although most pharmacies in the region are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, a select number of branches remain open on the holidays.

Details on the opening hours of all pharmacies for the entire Christmas period will be published in the coming days.

It is advised to keep an eye on the ICB’s social media pages and website which will detail any upcoming closures and opening times.

Helen Wilkinson, Clinical Lead Community Pharmacy, said: “Community pharmacies are a fantastic addition to the local health and care system, with most locations being able to offer more than just a repeat prescription service.

“As well as being experts in medicine, pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who can provide excellent health and care advice, with most pharmacy locations having a private consultation room where people can discuss their symptoms in complete confidence.

“Pharmacists can also provide information on common over-the-counter medicines that can help with a variety of minor conditions such as coughs, runny noses, sore throats and stomach problems.

“If a person’s symptoms are indicative of something more serious, pharmacists can then point the way and refer to alternative services if necessary.”

The Christmas and New Year opening times of all local pharmacies can be found below www.bsw.icb.nhs.ukwhich is also cited by NHS bosses as the one-stop shop for up-to-date information on all local health and care services.