Health support and advice over Christmas and New Year
- Healthwatch Wokingham
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
The festive season can mean reduced service hours and extra pressure on health services. Our guide has everything you need to know, from local pharmacy opening times to urgent dental care and mental health support, to help you and your loved ones stay well over the holidays.
Should you have a medical emergency during the festive season,
please call 999.
NHS 111
Contact NHS 111 for all non-urgent medical help or advice, including mental health crisis support.
NHS 111 operates 24/7, including on Christmas Day and all bank holidays. You can call them for free on 111 or visit www.111.nhs.uk. You can also connect with them on the NHS app.
A video relay service is also available to make a video call to a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter should you need one.
Your local pharmacy
Many local pharmacies will be closed or operating reduced hours throughout the Christmas period. However, there are still some pharmacies local to the borough you can visit if you want to speak to a pharmacist about any health concerns and minor illnesses. These include:
earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
shingles (aged 18 years and over)
sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years)
Other services pharmacies provide include:
advice on medicines
disposal of old medicines
help with new medicines
emergency contraception
free blood pressure checks
Click here or below to see the list of pharmacies open across Berkshire West:
You can also use the 'Find a Pharmacy' NHS website to find a service that is open when you need it: nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy
NHS 111 will also be able to provide this information.
Urgent /emergency dentistry
Below are details of the emergency dental service / out-of-hours information for Christmas and the New Year.
You can access these services by calling NHS 111 or the dental practices directly. Although these dental practices are not in the borough, you are still entitled to access any of these if you or a loved one has an urgent/dental emergency.
For more information and if you need urgent dental care, click here.
Other information and advice
We have a range of advice and information pages, including local services that may help you and your loved ones. Please click here.
Also...
To contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, you can call for free and confidential support, available 24 hours a day: 0808 2000 247
Mental health support options are also available via the NHS.uk website and by calling 111. The service is also suitable for deaf people, with tailored services available via the NHS 111 website.
For safeguarding concerns, contact the Wokingham Borough Council Adult Safeguarding Hub (ASH): 0118 974 6371
Feeling low or worried this Christmas?
You’re not alone. If you have feelings of loneliness, anxiety or feel down over this Winter period, talk to someone who can help.
Other charities and organisations with support phone lines and services that stay open over Christmas/New Year, include:
Samaritans: Call 116 123
Lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Age UK Advice Line: 0800 678 1602
The free confidential national telephone service for older people, their families, friends and carers is open from 8am - 7pm, 365 days a year.
For more advice and a list of national and local organisations that can support mental health, please click here.
