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Home » Latest News » Pharmacies open in Ayrshire and Arran over the May bank holiday 2024

Pharmacies open in Ayrshire and Arran over the May bank holiday 2024

  • by NHSAAA
Hand reaching out onto shelf grabbing boxes medicine.

With GP practices being closed on Monday 27 May 2024, residents of Ayrshire and Arran are being urged to check who to turn to if they need advice or support to cope with any common health concerns.

Some community pharmacies will remain open during this period (normal service will continue on Saturday) and can answer questions on choosing and using the right medicine and provide easy-to-understand advice on treating everyday ailments. NHS 24 also has a number of pharmacists who are able to answer medicine and pharmacy-related questions over the telephone on 111. In addition, NHS inform has valuable advice on how to prepare visit – http://www.nhsinform.scot

Roisin Kavanagh, Director of Pharmacy, explains: “You can do a number of things to make sure you are prepared to deal with common illnesses over the bank holiday.  Having a sufficient supply of medicines like paracetamol, sore throat and cough remedies will help to relieve the symptoms of common ailments.

“If you take regular medication, you should check your existing supplies and only order what you need to see you through the holiday weekend.  It is also a good idea to make sure you know when your local GP practice and community pharmacy are closed.  Please also take into consideration the time required by your local GP Practice and community pharmacy for processing prescription requests as this can add up to seven days”.

Under the Pharmacy First Service, your community pharmacist is able to:

  • prescribe medication for you following a consultation;
  • treat many women from age 16 for urinary tract infections*;
  • treat many patients for impetigo*;
  • treat patients over 18 for skin infections including infected insect bites*;
  • treat patients over 18 for shingles*;

(*where they meet certain criteria)

Community pharmacists can also:

  • provide your repeat prescriptions when your GP is not available (under certain circumstances);
  • give women advice and supply emergency hormonal contraception;
  • dispense prescriptions;
  • give advice, support and where appropriate, prescribe nicotine replacement therapy to those giving up smoking;
  • hold records of your medicines to ensure that the safety of any future medication is checked;
  • provide a private area to discuss sensitive issues;
  • give you advice over the telephone; and
  • give you advice on the best way to take your medicines.

Many pharmacies also offer:

  • advice on travel health;
  • pregnancy testing;
  • collection and delivery of prescriptions;
  • supervised methadone supply; and
  • needle exchange.

Please do not visit your community pharmacy if you have any symptoms of COVID-19.

Over the bank holiday, when GP practices are closed, you can still get advice from a community pharmacist or NHS 24.

Monday 27 May 2024

All pharmacies will be closed, except

East Ayrshire:

  • Boots Pharmacy, 62/70 King Street, Kilmarnock from 12 noon – 4pm
  • Well Pharmacy, 1/5 Loudon Street, Mauchline from 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 6pm
  • Right Medicine Pharmacy, 90 Main Street, Ochiltree from 9am–1pm & 2pm-5.30pm

North Ayrshire:

  • Arran Pharmacy, Brodick, Arran from 9am – 1pm
  • Well Pharmacy, 18/20 Main Street, Beith from 9am – 6pm
  • Davidson’s Chemist, 20 Main Street, Dreghorn from 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 5.30pm
  • Boots Chemist, 1 Fullarton Square, Irvine, 11am – 5pm
  • Lawthorn Pharmacy, 1 Cardow Crescent, Irvine from 9am – 5.30pm
  • Superdrug Pharmacy, 6B Aitken Street, Largs from 9am – 5.30pm
  • Halliday Pharmacy, 5 Aitken Street, Largs from 8.30am – 4pm
  • Cumbrae Pharmacy, 30 Stuart Street, Millport from 9am– 1pm and 1.30pm–5.30pm

South Ayrshire:

  • Boots Pharmacy, 168/170 High Street, Ayr from 12 noon – 4pm
  • Well Pharmacy, 10/12 Sandgate, Ayr from 8.30am – 5.30pm

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