Whatever your plans this Bank Holiday, know where to get help
We hope you’re looking forward to the Bank Holiday weekend. It’s the last long weekend before Christmas!
Whether you’re heading out, seeing family and friends, or taking it easy, we want to help you stay well.
If you do become poorly while GP practices are closed, there are still lots of ways to get help.
🏠 Try self-care first
Many common illnesses and minor injuries can be treated at home, including:
- Coughs and colds
- Sore throats
- Headaches
- Mild tummy bugs
- Minor cuts and bruises
- Sprains and strains
- Minor burns
Make sure you have your regular medicines, plus basics such as painkillers, plasters and bite or sting cream.
Self-care advice💊 Ask your pharmacist
Your pharmacist can help with many common problems without you needing to see a GP, including:
- Sinusitis
- Sore throat
- Earache in children
- Infected insect bites
- Impetigo
- Shingles
- UTIs in women
Check opening times before you go.
Find a pharmacy👶 Looking after children or young people?
Healthier Together has trusted advice for parents and carers.
Its simple traffic light system helps you decide what to do next. It shows when you can care for your child at home, when to seek advice and when to get urgent help.
It is available as a website and app, with content you can personalise based on your child’s age.
Visit Healthier Together💚 Looking after your mental health?
If you’re feeling low, anxious or stressed, there is support available.
Talking Therapies offers free NHS support for anxiety, stress and low mood, while CALMER provides free, confidential support by text, 24 hours a day.
Need urgent mental health help? Call 111 and select the mental health option. In an emergency, call 999 or go to A&E.
Mental health support📞 Need medical help?
NHS 111 can help.
Use 111 online, the NHS App or call 111 if you need medical help when the surgery is closed.
They can assess your symptoms and tell you what to do next. This could be an out-of-hours GP, pharmacy or urgent treatment centre.
NHS 111 can also help with urgent dental problems when your dentist is closed.
Visit NHS 111🩹 Need urgent treatment?
Urgent treatment centres (UTCs) are for problems that need care but are not life-threatening.
They can help with:
- Sprains and strains
- Minor burns
- Cuts and wounds
- Suspected broken bones
NHS 111 can tell you if a UTC is right for you.
Find an urgent treatment centre🚨 A&E or 999?
A&E and 999 are for serious, life-threatening emergencies.
Call 999 or go to A&E for problems such as severe difficulty breathing, unconsciousness, severe bleeding, signs of a heart attack or stroke, or serious injuries.
For less serious problems, please use a pharmacy, NHS 111 or an urgent treatment centre instead.
When to go to A&EWhatever you’re up to, we hope you have a safe, healthy and enjoyable bank holiday. 💚