Find the right service for your needs should you or a member of your family become ill or require urgent care over the Christmas and the New Year holiday period.
For minor illnesses or injuries
The Pharmacy First service is available at participating community pharmacies across Northern Ireland. If you have an everyday health condition, a sore throat, shingles, Urinary Tract Infection, you can use the Pharmacy First service to get advice and treatment without waiting to see your GP.
More information on Pharmacy First is available on the HSC NI website.
Over the Christmas and New Year bank holidays, Pharmacies will operate on a rota basis. The rota is available at on the BSO website.
You can also access advice on managing common mild illnesses using the NI Direct A-Z symptom checker.
Self-care is the best choice to treat most minor illnesses, ailments and injuries. A range of common illnesses such as aches and pains, colds, upset stomachs and sore throats can be treated with over the counter medicines and plenty of rest.
For more serious illness and injury
You may be able to avoid or reduce waiting time at Emergency Departments unnecessarily by using the Phone First Service before travelling. When you contact the Phone First service in your local Health and Social Care Trust area, you will be given a medical assessment by a health professional over the phone, given advice and, if required, directed to the most appropriate urgent or community service.
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, always dial 999.
Please be aware of when and where you can access available services in your area and keep the contact numbers you might need to hand. Please also make use of the information available on the NI Direct and HSC websites and ensure you have all the medication you will need over the holiday period.
Click on the headings below for more information on GP Out of Hours, urgent dental care, eye care and mental health.
