SINCE the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the world, trying to see a GP is harder than ever.
Read on to see what other options there are for accessing healthcare during the May bank holidays.
1
Are doctors open over the May Bank Holiday?
Doctors’ surgeries are not usually open on bank holidays, and this includes May Bank Holidays.
This means that you are unlikely to have much luck in getting a doctor’s appointment on all three Bank Holidays in May.
The May Bank Holidays are:
- May 1, 2023
- May 8, 2023
- May 29, 203
In general GP practices are closed from 6.30 pm until 8 am on weekdays, and across the whole of the weekend.
However many surgeries now offer evening and weekend appointments.
Patients should contact their own GP surgery to see if they offer this service.
Urgent treatment centres, which handle medical needs that are not life-threatening situations, are GP-led and are open 365 days a year.
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You can find your nearest walk-in centre on the NHS website by typing in your postcode.
How can I seek medical attention during the bank holiday?
The NHS can still provide you with medical assistance even if your local practice is closed.
If someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, you can call 999.
If you or someone else is in a life-threatening condition, you can search for your nearest Accident and Emergency department here.
Alternatively, for non-emergency treatment, you can call 111 or use the NHS 111 online service.
This will require you to fill out a form online with your details and health condition.
The NHS will then respond with information on whether to see a GP or seek urgent care, offer advice, and you may get a call back from a health professional.
If you require urgent face-to-face care, you can always look up the Accident and Emergency or Urgent Care centre closest to you.
You can find a hospital through the NHS search tool by simply putting in your postcode or town you’re in, and it’ll find you the nearest one you can go to.
For ailments such as coughs, colds, or earaches, some pharmacies will open on the May Bank Holiday and are able to help here.
Be mindful of pressures in Accident and Emergency departments throughout the country.
Please make full use of other services should you need medical attention for non-life-threatening problems this Bank Holiday.
