ANEURIN Bevan University Health Board has warned residents in Gwent who rely on certain prescription medications to order them well in advance of the festive period.
They are encouraging residents to order any repeat medication as soon as possible to ensure they have plenty to see them through the festive period, as pharmacies and GP surgeries will be closed.
A spokesperson for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “As all GP surgeries and the majority of community pharmacies will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, access to dispensaries will be extremely limited over these days and the pharmacy teams in Gwent are asking patients to prepare for their medication needs by ordering them at least a week in advance.”
Richard Evans, Community Pharmacy Lead for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said: “Our community pharmacies work extremely hard all year round to meet the needs of local residents and provide them with the best service possible, but the Christmas period can be a particularly busy and demanding time for us as we see a higher number of prescription requests in the weeks before the bank holidays.
“We always ask patients to order their repeat prescriptions at least 7 working days before they need it, but this is particularly important over this busy period, as we will have a higher number of requests to process and we wouldn’t want anyone to be without their regular medication.
“You can help your local pharmacy help you by planning ahead, and if your repeat prescription is due over the Christmas period, please order it in enough time for it to be processed.”
You can find out more about accessing medical help in Gwent over the Christmas period here.