All 27 GP practices in Bath and North East Somerset will be closed from Friday, 25th – Monday, 28th December.

They will then re-open from Tuesday, 29th – Thursday, 31st December, closed Friday, 1st January – Sunday, 3rd January and then re-open as normal from Monday, 4th January onwards.

Local Pharmacy opening times are as follows: Friday, 25th December (Christmas Day), from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Shaunaks Pharmacy, 15 Bath Road, Peasedown St John, BA2 8DH, Tel: 01761 432235. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Chandag Road Pharmacy, 47 Chandag Road, Keynsham, BS31 1PW, Tel: 0117 9864121.

On Saturday, 26th December (Boxing Day), all pharmacies open as usual.

On Sunday, 27th December, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Boots, 40 High Street, Keynsham, BS31 1DX, Tel: 0117 9863247.

Monday, 28th December (Bank Holiday), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Lloyds Pharmacy, Chesterfield House, High Street, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2DD, Tel: 01761 413251 and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Westfield Pharmacy, 9 Elmtree Avenue, Westfield, Radstock, BA3 3SX, Tel: 01761 434692.

All pharmacies will be open as usual between Tuesday 29th to Thursday 31st December.

On Friday, 1st January (New Year’s Day), Boots, 40 High Street, Keynsham, BS31 1DX, Tel: 0117 9863247 and Lloyds Pharmacy, Chesterfield House, High Street, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2DD Tel: 01761 413251 will be open from 10 a.m. to

4 p.m.

Many Bath pharmacies, including Boots, Superdrug and the pharmacy in

Sainsbury’s Green Park will be open as usual during the Bank Holidays.

NHS Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (B&NES CCG) is asking everyone to follow these three simple steps if they need help from NHS

services over Christmas.

Firstly, 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.

Otherwise, you can call 111. If your GP surgery is closed and you are not sure where to go, then you should 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 at the Royal United Hospital in Bath or Paulton Memorial Hospital.

Remember that A&E and 999 are for life-threatening emergencies. A&E Departments and the ambulance service are for life-threatening emergencies, such as loss of consciousness, suspected heart attacks, breathing difficulties or severe bleeding that cannot be stopped. A&E is likely to be extremely busy over the holidays with long waiting times, so please call NHS 111 for advice first if you are not sure where to go.