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Dec 24 Christmas day Boxing day Dec 28 Dec 31 New Years day

Boots The Chemist, Newport, 529524 8am - 6pm Closed 8am - 6pm* 8am - 4pm* 8am - 6pm 10am - 4pm*

Boots The Chemists, Ventnor, 852147 9am - 6.30pm Closed 9am - 5.30pm* 10am - 4pm* 9am - 6.30pm Closed

Boots The Chemists, Ryde, 562280 9am - 6pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm* 10am - 4pm* 9am - 6pm* Closed

Boots The Chemists,Sandown, 403897 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm* 10am - 4pm* 9am - 5.30pm* Closed

Boots The Chemists, Shanklin, 862058 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm* 10am - 4pm * 9am - 5.30pm * Closed

Day Lewis Pharmacy, Carisbrooke, 525216 9am - 6pm* 3pm - 5pm Closed Closed 9am - 6pm* Closed

Day Lewis Pharmacy, Sandown, 402050 9am - 6pm* Closed Closed Closed 9am - 6pm* Closed

Day Lewis Pharmacy, Wootton, 882473 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 9am - 11.30am Closed 9am - 5.30pm* Closed

Day Lewis Pharmacy, Newport, 522346 9am - 5.30pm Closed 9am - 1pm Closed 9am - 5.30pm Closed

Day Lewis Pharmacy, Shanklin, 862562 8.45am - 6pm Closed Closed Closed 8.45am - 6pm Closed

Day Lewis Pharmacy, Cowes, 293011 9am - 5.30pm Closed 9.45am - 3pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm Closed

Gibbs & Gurnell, Ryde, 562570 9am - 5.30pm Closed 9am - 5pm Closed 9am - 5.30pm Closed

Kemkay Chemist, Freshwater, 752908 9am - 6pm* 12pm - 2pm 9am - 5pm* Closed 9am - 6pm* Closed

Lloyds Pharmacy, Ryde, 563333 9am - 6.30pm Closed 9am - 12pm Closed 9am - 6.30pm Closed

Lloyds Pharmacy, East Cowes, 293133 8.30am - 6.30pm Closed 9am - 5pm Closed 8.30am - 6.30pm Closed

Lloyds Pharmacy, Sandown, 405436 8.30am - 6.30pm 12pm - 2pm 9am - 1pm Closed 8.30am - 6.30pm Closed

Lloyds Pharmacy, Carisbrooke, 526868 9am - 6pm Closed 9am - 1pm Closed 9am - 6pm Closed

Lloyds Pharmacy, Newport, 522638 8.45am - 5.30pm Closed 8.45am - 5.30pm Closed 8.45am - 5.30pm Closed

Lloyds Pharmacy, Ventnor, 852135 9am - 5.30pm Closed 9am - 1pm Closed 9am - 5.30pm Closed

Niton Pharmacy, Niton, 730240 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 9am - 12pm Closed 9am - 5.30pm* Closed

Regent Pharmacy, East Cowes, 717002 9am - 6.30pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 9am - 6.30pm* Closed

Regent Pharmacy, Shanklin, 863677 8.30am - 6pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 8.30am - 6pm* Closed

Sainsbury’s Pharmacy, Newport, 539985 7am - 11pm Closed 7am - 10pm Closed 7am - 11pm Closed

Seaview Pharmacy, Seaview, 613116 9am - 5.30pm* 10:30am - 12.30pm 9am - 12.45pm Closed 9am - 5.30pm* Closed

Tesco Instore Pharmacy, Ryde, 327847 8am - 7pm* Closed 9am - 5pm* 9am - 6pm 8am - 7pm* Closed

Yarmouth Pharmacy, Yarmouth, 760260 8.30am - 6.30pm Closed 8.30am - 6pm* Closed 8.30am - 6.30pm 10am - 3pm

Boots Pharmacy, Sandown, 403238 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm* Closed

Boots Pharmacy, Bembridge, 872328 9am - 5.30pm* Closed 9am - 5pm* Closed 9am - 5.30pm* Closed

Boots Pharmacy, Tower House, Ryde 8.30am - 6pm* Closed Closed Closed 8.30am - 6pm* Closed

Boots Pharmacy, Freshwater, 752724 9am - 6pm* Closed 9am - 1pm Closed 9am - 6pm* Closed

Boots Pharmacy, Cowes Medical Centre 8.45am - 6.30pm* Closed 8.45am - 1pm Closed 8.45am - 6.30pm* Closed

Your GP

Your local pharmacy

NHS 111

999

IF YOU become unwell or have an accident during the Christmas holidays, it is important to know who to contact and where to go for health advice and treatment.

ALL GP practices on the Island will be closed from 1pm on Christmas Eve.

From 1pm on December 24 until December 29, you are advised to call 111 if you need urgent health advice and cannot wait until your GP practice re-opens.

If you take regular medication, now

is the time to plan ahead and make sure you have a sufficient supply of everything you may need to see you through the four days when practices will be closed.

GP practices will be open for on-the- day appointments from December 29 to December 31.

CALL 111 if you need medical help fast but it is not a life-threatening situation.

A team of fully trained call handlers, supported by nurses and paramedics, assess your symptoms and put you directly in touch with the people who can help; for example, an out-of -hours doctor, a district nurse or an emergency dentist — or it may be something as simple as a 24 hour pharmacy. But NHS 111 can also send an ambulance, without delay, if required.

The IW NHS 111 service is provided by the IW NHS Trust, with staff based at the ambulance service call handling centre at St Mary’s Hospital.

Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones and the service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Emergency Dental HelplineIF YOU require an emergency dental appointment, call NHS 111 where your call will be triaged prior to an appointment being given. The emergency dental service is not a walk-in service.

Emergency DepartmentTHE Emergency Department (A&E) is for serious, life-threatening injuries and illnesses that need urgent medical attention. These include loss of consciousness, heavy bleeding, severe chest pain or breathing difficulty, serious burns, strokes and persistent fits.

People with these types of serious conditions will be treated before those with minor complaints, which would be more appropriately helped by calling 111.

PLEASE think before you dial 999. The ambulance service is for emergencies and life-threatening situations only. If ambulance crews are called out to those suffering minor illnesses, they cannot get to those who really need

their help.The Stay Well This Winter campaign can help you and your family prepare for winter, see www.nhs.org.uk/staywell.

DOCTORS’ appointments are not always necessary.

Your local pharmacist can help with your health problems and can offer you a confidential area to talk about your

symptoms.They can also help you be prepared

for when minor illnesses or accidents strike, by advising you on what to have in your home medicine cabinet.

The following pharmacies should be open during Christmas and New Year as listed. The details are correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.

Pharmacy opening times

* Please note a number of pharmacies will be closed at different times between the hours of 12noon to 2.30pm. You are advised to contact the pharmacy before attending to ensure it is open and has the medication you require.

3NHS Stay well this winter2 NHS Stay well this winter

Colds — You can help prevent colds by washing your hands regularly. Tip: Use disposable tissues instead of cloth handkerchiefs to avoid constantly reinfecting your own hands.

Sore throat — Sore throats are common in winter and are almost always caused by viral infections. Tip: Gargle with warm salty water. It won’t heal the infection but it has anti-in-fl ammatory properties and can have a soothing effect. Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in a glass of part-cooled boiled water.

Norovirus — Also known as the winter vomiting bug, norovirus is an extremely infectious stomach bug. Tip: When people are ill with vomiting and diarrhoea, it’s important to drink plenty of fl uids to prevent dehydration. Avoid public places until you are 48 hours clear of symptoms.

Painful joints — People with arthritis say their joints become more painful in winter. Tip: Many people get a little depressed during the winter months, and this can make them perceive pain more acutely. Daily exercise can boost a person’s mental and physical state. Swimming is ideal, as it’s easy on the joints.

Cold hands — Raynaud’s phenomenon is a common condition which makes your fi ngers and toes change colour and become very painful in cold weather. It’s a sign of poor circula-tion in the small blood vessels of the hands and feet. Tip: Don’t smoke or drink caffeine, as they can both worsen symptoms, and always wear warm gloves, socks and shoes when outside in cold weather.

Tackling common winter illness

THIS time of the year is particularly busy for all frontline NHS Services and we appreciate your support in using health services sensibly and preparing for the Christmas and New Year break by making sure your

medicine cabinet is well stocked. It’s not too late to check and ensure you

have got your repeat prescription and enough medicine to see you through to January. Pharmacies are open throughout the Christmas and New Year period and your local pharmacist is trained to assist with many common health issues. You can also call 111 if you need urgent medical advice, or you’re not sure which service can best help you. St Mary’s Hospital is a very busy place throughout the year but even more so during the winter months. Once patients are medically fi t to leave hospital, this is the time when we really need your help to ensure they get to the best place in order for them to continue with their recovery. Relatives and neighbours can help by working with us to ensure their loved ones and neighbours are prepared for the bank holiday period. Relatives can also help by working with us to ensure that their loved ones leave hospital as soon as they are ready. Sometimes it is not possible to arrange the accommodation of choice but it may be necessary to see it as a stepping stone to the best place. A bed occupied by someone who is fi t to leave is a bed we can’t offer to patients who need emergency care.

Thank you for your support and we wish you a very happy Christmas and a healthy New Year. Stay well — your local NHS.

We’re here to help you stay well this winter — but we need your helpWinter is traditionally the time when colds and illnesses can catch up with you — but there is plenty you can do to help minimise the chances of getting ill.

Lorna Cousins isfrom the Isle of Wight

THE COLD weather can aggravate any existing health problems and make us more vulnerable to illnesses.

Being cold can raise the risk of increased blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes but there are lots of things you can do to stay well this winter.

It’s not too late to get your fl u jab — fl u can be more serious than you think and can lead to serious complications, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, which can be deadly.

That’s why the fl u jab is free if you’re aged 65 or

over, have a long-term health condition, are pregnant, if you have children aged two, three or four or in school years 1 and 2.

If you are the main carer of an older or disabled person, you may also be eligible for the free fl u jab, so speak to your GP.

It is important to keep warm, both inside and outdoors, as this can help to prevent colds, fl u and more serious health problems.

Heat your home to at least 18°C (65°F) and keep your bedroom window closed on winter nights, because breathing cold air can be bad for your health as it increases the risk of chest infections

Keep active when you’re indoors and wear several layers of light clothes, as they will trap warm air better than one bulky layer.

Make sure you’re receiving all the help you’re entitled to and learn how to make your home more energy effi cient, improve your heating and keep up with your energy bills at www.gov.uk/phe/keep-warm

Look out for other people and keep in touch with friends, neighbours and family — ask if they need any practical help or if they’re feeling under the weather

Make sure they’re stocked up with enough food supplies for a few days, in case they can’t go out and ensure they get any prescription medicines before the holiday starts on December 24.

For more information and advice visit www.nhs.uk/staywell.

Be prepared for winter... arm — keep your house warm this winter.

mmunisations — get your fl u vaccination.

eighbours — keep an eye on elderly neighbours and relatives.

imely — seek advice from a pharmacist at the fi rst sign of illness.

nough — pick up repeat prescriptions so you have enough while pharmacies/ surgeries are closed.

estock — make sure you have enough food and medicine in the cupboard.

WINTER

Need help to stay warm?

EVERY winter tens of thousands of older people become seriously ill as a result of the extreme cold.

Age UK IW’s Winter in a Box Scheme hopes to minimise the risk to our most vulnerable older residents and support them through the colder months ahead.

A trained volunteer can carry out an assessment of a person’s needs and provide advice, and if required, certain items to help stay warm.

These can include electric heaters, electric blankets and duvets, thermal socks, hats and gloves, smoke and CO2 detectors, room thermometers, salt for icy paths and shoe grippers to help people stay safe in treacherous conditions.

Anyone worried about staying warm this winter, or concerned about an older Island resident, can contact the Good Neighbour Scheme offi ce on (01983) 525282 or e-mail: gns@ageukiw.org.uk.

All Winter in a Box supplies and advice are provided completely free of charge.

WINTER conditions can be seriously bad for our health, especially for people aged 65 or older and those with long-term conditions.