Plan your Easter healthcare carefully

Patients across Oldham are being urged to plan carefully ahead of the Easter bank holiday, by requesting any repeat prescriptions in advance and making themselves aware of primary care services that will be on offer.

GP and pharmacy services will be limited on Good Friday (March 30) and Easter Monday (April 2). On all other normal working days GP surgeries are open from 8am to 6.30pm as normal.

The Oldham GP Federation’s 7 Day GP Access service, commissioned by NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group, allows for additional GP appointments to be made on weekends from 10am until 2pm, weekday evenings from 6pm until 8pm, and on weekends and bank holidays from 10am until 2pm.

Over Easter, the Federation will be offering the Oldham 7 Day GP access service at the Integrated Care Centre (ICC), New Radcliffe St, Oldham OL1 1NL during the following times:

• Good Friday 30 March 2017 10am – 2pm
• Saturday 31 March 2018 10am – 2pm
• Easter Sunday 1 April 2018 10am – 2pm
• Easter Monday 2 April 2018 10am – 2pm

The Oldham 7 Day GP access service will also be offered on Saturday 31 March between 10am and 2pm at the Royton and Failsworth hubs, located at the Royton Health & Wellbeing Centre, Park Street, Royton, OL2 6QW and The Keppel Building, Ashton Rd West, Failsworth, Manchester, M35 0AD.

Please note the booking line number for the service is 0161 934 2827.

Pharmacy hours

Saturday, 31 March is a normal working day for pharmacies, so they will be open as normal. Some pharmacies are also open during the Easter holidays.

Your local pharmacy is the place to go to get any prescription medicines and clinical advice for minor health concerns.

As well as helping with common illnesses – like sore throats, coughs, colds, tummy troubles and aches and pains – and providing advice on over-the-counter medicines.

Most local pharmacies have consultation rooms for private conversations.

Your pharmacist can also talk to you confidentially without anything being noted in your medical records, which some people may prefer.

Getting advice from a local pharmacist is the best first step for a minor health concern. Patients are advised to telephone their usual pharmacy before travelling, as opening hours may vary.

For further information on opening times for some local pharmacies over the Easter period, please see the information below:

Pharmacy	Telephone No.	30 March   Good Friday	1st April  Easter Sunday		Easter Monday 2 Apr
Oldham Late Night Pharmacy 87-89 Lees Road Oldham OL4 1JW	0161 652 2221	2pm - 8pm	2pm - 8pm	2pm - 8pm
Asda Pharmacy 1 Milne Street Chadderton Oldham OL9 0JE	0161 484 1060	9am - 6pm	Closed	9am - 6pm
Asda Pharmacy Greenfield Lane Oldham Lancashire OL2 8QP	01706 883 500	9am - 6pm	Closed	9am - 6pm
Tesco In-Store Pharmacy Huddersfield Road  Oldham OL1 3LG	0161 602 8961	9am - 6pm	Closed	9am - 6pm
Tesco In-Store Pharmacy Featherstall Road North  Oldham OL9 6BW	0161 602 8925	9am - 6pm	Closed	9am - 6pm
Lloyds Pharmacy  Oldham ICC New Radcliffe St Oldham Lancs OL1 1NL	0161 626 5426	11am - 4pm	11am - 4pm	11am - 4pm

Dr. Shelley Grumbridge, GP and Clinical Director for Urgent Care at NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “While self-care is generally the best option for minor ailments, it is important that local people know where to go or who to contact if they are unwell, so that they can receive the best possible treatment in the quickest time for their condition.

"I’d also encourage parents of young children to download the Oldham Child Illness app, which aims to provide families with up to date information about common childhood ailments and the best way to treat them.”

The Oldham Child Illness app is free to download from the App Store and Google Play, just search for Oldham child illness and you’ll have the resource at your fingertips within minutes.

Where to go for the right medical care:

• Oldham Child Illness App. Every parent or carer wants to know how to do what is best for their growing baby and to give them the best start in life.
• This resource aims to help you understand what to do and who to ask in a number of situations; including what to do when your baby or child is ill.
• Learn how to care for your child at home, when to seek advice from a health visitor or call a doctor and when to use emergency services.
• You can download the app FREE from apple itunes or the Google Play store:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/oldham-child-illness/id1022401236?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.senseinteractive.oldham&hl=en_GB

• NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) for advice on less urgent health needs.
• NHS 111 for clinical advice, assessment and for direction to the most appropriate services for treatment if you need medical help fast but it is not an emergency – available 24/7.
• GP practices will be closed on the following bank holidays: 30th March (Good Friday) and 2nd April (Easter Monday). Patients can ask their GP surgery about the Oldham 7 Day Access appointments which are bookable in the evenings, at weekends and on bank holidays.
• These are available from 6pm – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 2pm at weekends and during bank holidays, at one of the three hubs at either Oldham town centre, Failsworth or Royton.
• Pharmacies for those generally feeling unwell.
• Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments and the 999 ambulance service should only be used in a critical or life-threatening situation.