WITH the August Bank Holiday around the corner, health professionals in South Gloucestershire are urging people to plan ahead to stay happy and healthy.

These include making sure that home medicine cabinets are stocked up with the basics needed to treat very minor ailments and illnesses and also ensuring that repeat prescriptions are collected well in advance of the bank holiday weekend.

People are also being reminded to check their options for urgent healthcare and to only use A&E and 999 for serious and life-threatening emergencies.

Services such as the minor injuries unit in Yate, out-of-hours GPs and emergency pharmacists will all be available over the bank holiday weekend. People who aren’t sure which service to use can get advice and guidance from NHS 111, their local NHS website or the NHS Service Finder app.

Dr Jonathan Hayes, NHS South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) clinical chairman, said: “The summer holidays and particularly the bank holiday weekend are always a busy time for local health services, which makes it all the more important that people take a few steps to prepare for their healthcare needs.

“In particular, we’re urging people who have repeat prescriptions to make sure they have enough medication to last the long weekend, when many pharmacies and GP practices will be closed.

“It’s also important that people who need urgent care use the right service for their needs and seek advice from 111 if they’re unsure. By choosing carefully, people can get the treatment they need sooner while also helping to relieve pressure on busy emergency services.”