Over Christmas and New Year, the Clinical Commissioning Groups in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) are advising local people that, although GP practices will be closed, other health services are still open for anyone that needs medical assistance. There are also many Covid vaccination clinics open over the holiday period.
We would also like to remind patients who take prescribed medication regularly, to make sure you have enough to last until the New Year. Contact your GP practice in good time, if you need a repeat prescription, or you can also make the request online or using the NHS App.
GP practices across LLR will be open until Friday 24th December. Practices will re-open on Wednesday 29th until Friday 31st December. They will be closed again on Monday 3rd January, with normal service resumed on Tuesday 4th January.
There are several ways in which the NHS can be accessed over the Christmas and New year holidays.
• If you need urgent health advice when your usual GP practice is closed, please contact NHS111 online, or by phoning 111. This service provides self-care advice on common ailments and, if necessary, they can arrange for you to see a nurse or doctor at one of the Healthcare Hubs in Leicester City or Urgent Treatment Centres in the County and Rutland.
• Your local pharmacy, or chemist, isn’t just the place where you pick up your prescribed medicines. Pharmacists are qualified health professionals and are the right people to see if you need advice or over-the-counter medicines. You can view Christmas and New Year opening times here, or check on your local pharmacy website.
• If you have an urgent mental health need, call the Central Access Point (CAP) on 0808 800 3302, 24 hours a day. The service will arrange for you to speak to someone who can assess your needs and provide advice or refer you directly to an appropriate service.
• If it is a serious life-threatening emergency, call 999.
If you need medical help or have any health concerns over the bank holiday, please do not be put off from seeking help. Please understand that the NHS is here for you, and you should still seek medical help if you need it. If you have any symptoms of Covid-19, please do not go to any health services in person, unless an appointment has been made in advance. For advice on what to do if you have coronavirus, please see https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms.
To book an appointment for the Covid-19 vaccine, use the National Booking Service, or call 119. Alternatively you can go to a walk-in clinic, with no appointment needed; details of all walk-in vaccine clinics in LLR are available at https://www.leicestercityccg.nhs.uk/my-health/coronavirus-advice/coronavirus-vaccine.
For further information contact: PressofficeLLRCCGs@leicestershire.nhs.uk
