Be prepared and choose well this Easter
Published on 15/04/2025
With the long Easter weekend approaching, University Hospitals Birmingham is encouraging local people to be prepared, plan ahead, and use the most appropriate health services over the long bank holiday weekend.
Hospital and emergency services remain open for life-threatening situations, but for most minor illnesses or urgent questions, quicker help is available via NHS 111 and local pharmacies.
Professor Kiran Patel, Chief Medical Officer said: “NHS services are here to help, but it’s important that people know where to turn to get the right care quickly. Over Easter, your local pharmacy and NHS 111 can provide fast, expert advice often without the need for a hospital visit. Please help us keep A&E for the most serious emergencies.”
Many pharmacies will be open across the holiday weekend and are a great choice for helping with common issues like coughs, colds, eye infections, and treatment for seven common conditions including urinary tract infections, sinusitis, skin infections and sore throats.
For more urgent medical concerns, NHS 111 is available 24/7 online or by calling NHS 111. Trained advisors and clinicians can direct patients to the right service, including local urgent treatment centres or out-of-hours GP support.
What the public can do:
- Order their prescriptions from their GP practice in good time
- Check which local pharmacies are open:
- Use NHS 111 for urgent care needs
- Only use A&E for life-threatening emergencies
