RESIDENTS are being reminded to make sure they choose the best-placed healthcare option for them this bank holiday Monday.
People are urged to think about using pharmacies or Minor Injury Units for minor incidents and illnesses.
Local pharmacists can also give expert confidential advice, as well as medicines for a range of minor ailments.
No appointment is necessary, people should just check which branches are open as times differ on public holidays. The opening times for this bank holiday Monday are below.
A&E units can get especially busy during bank holidays and MIUs and pharmacies often offer a much quicker and easier solution.
Accident and Emergency departments – like those at the Alexandra Hospital and Worcestershire Royal – should only be used in absolute emergencies.
Pharmacy times – Monday, August 25
JHoots Pharmacy, BHI Parkside, Stourbridge Road, Bromsgrove – 4pm to 7pm
Boots, Kingfisher Centre, Redditch – 10am to 5pm
Tesco Instore Pharmacy, Tesco Extra, Coldfield Drive, Redditch – 10am to 4pm
Minor Injury Units
For cuts, grazes, wounds, sprains, minor eye injuries and minor burns, people can attend their local Minor Injuries Units (MIUs).
Unfortunately, the units cannot treat illnesses.
People needing treatment are advised to contact NHS111 either via the website – 111.nhs.uk – or by calling 111.
Trained advisers will assess symptoms and then recommend the most suitable course of action which could include a visit to an MIU.
Alternatively, people can walk into their local MIU which are open during usual opening hours over bank holiday weekends.
In North Worcestershire, Kidderminster Hospital’s MIU opens between 8am and 10pm and the MIU at Bromsgrove’s Princess of Wales Community Hospital is open from 8am to 8pm everyday (last admission at 7.30pm).
Other Worcestershire MIUs include Evesham, Tenbury Wells and Malvern.
