Choose well this August bank holiday weekend

Make sure you know where to go if you or your family become ill over the August bank holiday weekend.

There will be changes to opening times for local healthcare services over the bank holiday, including closures on Monday August 25.

However, there will always be somewhere to go for medical treatment and advice appropriate to your symptoms.

Dr Chris Duffy, local GP and Chair of NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale CCG, said: "As you look forward to a long weekend, falling ill or having an accident is probably the last thing on your mind, but unfortunately it happens.

"If your GP practice is closed, there are many ways you can receive treatment, depending on your symptoms. I'd encourage everyone to have a basic medicine and first aid kit in the house to enable you to deal with minor illnesses like coughs and colds at home. If you're unsure, visit your local pharmacist for advice.

"Please remember that attending A&E is a last resort and should only be used for emergencies, so make sure you choose well."

Pharmacy

Your local pharmacist can give expert, confidential advice or medicines for minor ailments such as coughs and colds, asthma and eczema, some allergies and period pain.

Pharmacies open on bank holiday Monday August 25 are listed here.

NHS Choices (www.nhs.uk and NHS 111)

NHS Choices is a dedicated website where you can find up-to-date and expert advice on a range of illnesses and complaints, as well as find your nearest NHS services, such as GPs, dentists, pharmacists and walk-in centres. Visit NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk.  

Call NHS 111 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for fast, free medical advice when it's not an emergency.

GP services

If you are registered with a GP practice in Heywood or Middleton you will be able to access GPs over the bank holiday weekend, as part of their pilot schemes to provide seven-day GP services.

Middleton opening hours:

• Saturday 23 August: 6-9pm
  
• Sunday 24 August: 6-9pm
  
• Monday 25 August: 6-9pm
  

Heywood opening hours:

• Saturday 23 August: 9.30am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-4.30pm, 6-9pm
  
• Sunday 24 August: 9.30am-12.30pm, 1.30pm– 4.30pm, 6-9pm
  
• Monday 25 August: 9.30am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-4.30pm, 6-9pm
  

All other GP practices will be closed over this period. For urgent out-of-hours advice or to book an appointment, call BARDOC on 0161 763 4242.

Minor eye conditions service

Opticians offering this service will be operating varying opening times over the bank holiday period. Please visit www.hmrmecs.co.uk for full details.

Walk-in centres and Urgent Care Centre

These services can offer assessment and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries that aren't serious enough to require a visit to A&E. No appointment is necessary.

• Middleton Health Centre, Middleton Shopping Centre, M24 4EL (0161 655 7434): Open 8am-8pm, seven days a week
  
• Rochdale Urgent Care Centre, Rochdale Infirmary, Whitehall Street, OL12 0NB: Open 24 hours, seven days a week

A&E and 999 services are for emergency and life-threatening conditions only

For full details, including opening times, for local NHS services, visit www.hmr.nhs.uk/choosewell.