Doctors in North Somerset are urging people to plan ahead for their healthcare needs over the festive bank holiday weekends.

Bank holidays fall on December 25 and 28 this year, as well as New Year’s Day, and while urgent and emergency care will continue to be available as usual, some GPs and pharmacies will be closed.

To prepare, local GPs are urging people who have repeat medication to make sure that they have enough to last the bank holiday weekends and to order and collect prescriptions in good time.

People are also being encouraged to check they have a well-stocked home medicine cabinet so they can treat very minor ailments such as coughs and colds at home.

For those who do need to see a healthcare professional over the bank holidays, urgent care can be accessed via NHS111, either by phone or online at 111.nhs.uk

Emergency pharmacists will also be open over the bank holiday and can provide emergency medication and contraception, as well as advice on a wide range of common ailments.

Details of emergency pharmacists can be found by logging on to www.bnssgccg.nhs.uk/health-services