NHS COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE REMINDS PEOPLE TO ORDER PRESCRIPTIONS IN TIME FOR AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY
22 August 2022
Ahead of the August Bank Holiday, GPs and Pharmacists across Coventry and Warwickshire are urging people to order repeat prescriptions in plenty of time ahead of this weekend and Bank Holiday.
It is important that people who regularly take medication don’t miss doses to keep their health condition properly managed. However, it is easy to forget about Bank Holidays and run out of vital medication whilst healthcare services are operating different hours or are closed altogether.
Pharmacies and practices are very busy at the moment and will get busier as Bank Holiday Monday approaches. On Bank Holidays not all pharmacies are open and suppliers are closed.
Fiona Lowe, Chief Operating Officer, Pharmaceutical Committee Coventry & Warwickshire, said: “Some medication can cause unpleasant side effects or even make people seriously unwell if doses are missed, especially those used to manage long-term conditions such as heart problems.”
“This can be easily avoided by making sure you have enough medication to see you through the Bank Holiday and remembering to order repeat prescriptions when the time comes.”
Lowe adds: “If your routine medication is due to run out before Tuesday 30th August, please place your prescription request through your normal route as early as you can – ideally by Wednesday 24th August - to allow time for processing at the practice and dispensing at the pharmacy.”
The Prescription Ordering Direct service (POD) allows people to order repeat prescriptions easily when they have seven days or less of medication left. This service is closed on the weekends and Bank Holidays but will be open as normal between 8am and 5pm on all other days.
People with seven days or less of medication left should order by Tuesday 23rd or Wednesday 24th August, and (depending on the surgery turnaround time) they should be able to collect their prescription by Friday 26th August. It can take up to 48 hours for most surgeries to process a repeat prescription.
To order prescriptions via the POD, call 024 7624 6025 for Warwickshire North, 024 7624 6072 for Coventry & Rugby, or submit a request online via the website. For South Warwickshire, order through the usual method.
Community pharmacies can provide medical advice on minor health concerns such as diarrhoea, fever, headache, sore throat, cough, upset stomach, over-the-counter medication, and emergency prescriptions if needed. Pharmacy opening hours are likely to differ from their usual times and some pharmacies may not be open at all on Bank Holiday Monday. The Bank Holiday pharmacy opening hours across Coventry and Warwickshire can be found on the NHS England and NHS Improvement website here.
For urgent medical care that is not an emergency, the NHS 111 online service should be used for anyone over the age of five. http://www.111.nhs.uk/ assess in the exact same way as the telephone service and, if necessary, advisors can book time slots at an accident and emergency department. Parents or carers needing help for a child under the age of five should use the NHS 111 telephone service.
The NHS website can also provide information about common conditions, symptoms, and treatments, including what to do and when to get help.