READERS are being reminded to order and collect their prescriptions before the long bank holiday weekend.

Most GP practices will be closed over the extended Jubilee bank holidays - on Monday, June 4 and Tuesday, June 5.

This means those with long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, lung and heart disease who rely on daily medication may struggle if they run out.

Dr Phil Jennings, chairman of Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The last thing we want is for people to become poorly and have to spend part of their bank holiday in hospital.

"So we’re appealing to people to check now to make sure they have enough medication to see them through the break.”

People are also being urged to think carefully before they dial 999 or visit their local A&E department over the weekend.

Dr Jennings added: “Accident and Emergency and 999 teams often end up dealing with all kinds of minor cases that people are really able to deal with themselves, like period pains, hangovers, even splinters.

"When GP surgeries are closed, this tends to happen even more.

“We find people often use A&E and 999 services because they don’t know where they can get good health care advice when their GP practice is closed. People also sometimes call 999 because they think this will get them seen quicker, but that isn’t the case.

The NHS "Choose Well" campaign aims to inform people about where they should go for the right treatment.

Information about self-treating common complaints and finding local NHS services is available online at the link above.

Full details of local GP, pharmacy and walk-in centres, including opening times, are available on the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk.