Health services
over Easter
Making sure you know when your local NHS
services are open this Easter will help you
get the right treatment and it could really help
ease pressure on local services.
Health and Social Care services on the Island
are extremely busy. If you feel unwell over the
Easter Bank Holiday weekend, please follow
this advice below.
We want to be able to ensure we can attend to
those people with more serious conditions in a
timely manner which means anyone with minor
illnesses is asked to go along to a community
Pharmacy for advice or call NHS111.
When you need medical
help fast, but it’s not a 999
emergency, there’s now
one number to call.
Your GP
On Friday 25th and Monday 28th March, all GP practices on the Island
will be closed. If you take regular medication, now is the time to
check and make sure you have a sufficient supply of everything you
999
/A&E
may need to see you through the four day weekend.
If you do happen to run out of medication over the Easter weekend
visit one of the pharmacies listed below, they may be able to help you.
PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND THE BEACON HEALTH
CENTRE FOR REPEAT PRESCRIPTION REQUESTS
Speak to a Pharmacist
Beacon
Centre at
St. Mary’s
Pharmacy First Scheme
Local pharmacies have introduced a Pharmacy First scheme on the Island. If you or your children are exempt
from prescription charges then you are able to get treatment for a number of conditions without having to wait
to see a GP for a prescription. All you will need to do is a have a quick, confidential chat with the pharmacist.
The following pharmacies will be open over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend:
Pharmacy Opening Times
111
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
Boots The Chemist, Newport, 522595
8am - 6pm
Closed
10am - 4pm
Sainsbury’s Pharmacy, Newport, 539985
9am - 7pm
10am - 12pm
9am - 7pm
Tesco Instore Pharmacy, Ryde, 327847
11am - 4pm
Closed
11am - 4pm
9am - 5.30pm
Closed
10am - 4pm
Seaview Pharmacy, Seaview, 613116
Closed
10:30am - 12.30pm
Closed
Boots The Chemists, Ventnor, 852147
9am - 5.30pm
Closed
10am - 4pm
Boots The Chemists, Sandown, 403897
9am - 5.30pm
Closed
10am - 4pm
Boots The Chemists, Shanklin, 862058
9am - 5.30pm
Closed
10am - 4pm
Closed
3pm - 5pm
Closed
8.30am - 6pm
10am - 4pm
9am - 5pm
Boots The Chemists, Ryde, 562280
GP
Regent Pharmacy, Shanklin, 863677
Yarmouth Pharmacy, Yarmouth, 760260
Common complaints which can be
treated at home with advice from
the pharmacist include:
● Skin conditions, such as mild acne
and mild eczema
● Coughs and colds including nasal
congestion and sore throat
● Minor cuts and bruises
● Constipation and
haemorrhoids (piles)
● Hay fever and allergies
● Aches, pains, such as headaches,
earaches and backaches
● Indigestion, diarrhoea and
threadworms
● Period pain and thrush
● Warts and verrucas, mouth ulcer
and cold sores
● Athletes foot
● Nappy rash and teething
Call NHS 111
Pharmacy
If you need medical help fast but it’s not a life-threatening situation. Trained call
handlers, supported by nurses and paramedics based at St. Mary’s Hospital will assess
your symptoms and put you directly in touch with the people who can help; for example,
an out-of -hours doctor, a district nurse or an emergency dentist — or it may be
something as simple as telling you which pharmacy is open. But NHS 111 can also send
an ambulance, without delay, if required.
If you think you need to see a doctor in the evening, over the weekend or on a Bank
Holiday for something which cannot wait, call 111.
Calls to 111 are free from landlines and mobile phones and the service is available 24
hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Beacon Centre, St. Mary’s Hospital
Self-care
Easter is Beacon Centre’s busiest time of the year, so be prepared! Please ensure you
have enough of all your repeat prescription medications and have a stock of useful
medicines such as paracetamol and ibuprofen at home.
The Beacon Centre is intended for new or worsening symptoms of less than 72
hours. Please contact NHS 111 before making the decision to attend The Beacon
Centre, since many conditions can be successfully managed with advice over
the phone.
Please do NOT attend if you have vomiting, diarrhoea or viral illnesses such as flu, to
avoid spreading the infection further. NHS 111 or your pharmacy will be able to advise
you, and if necessary, put you in contact with the Beacon Out of Hours GP service.
999 in an emergency
Please think before you call 999. The Ambulance Service is for emergencies
and life-threatening situations only. If ambulance crews are called out to
those suffering minor illnesses, they cannot get to those who really need
their help.
The Emergency Department (A&E) is for serious, life-threatening injuries
and illnesses that need urgent medical attention.
These include: ● loss of consciousness
● heavy bleeding ● severe chest pain or breathing difficulty
● serious burns ● strokes and persistent fits.
People with these types of serious conditions will be treated before
those with minor complaints, which would be more appropriately helped by
calling 111.