WITH Christmas just around the corner, we all hope to be in good spirits – and good health.

But if you do find yourself feeling poorly over the festive period, help is at hand.

Whether you need over the counter medicines, a prescription or whether you just need to seek advice on mental or physical health conditions, there are a number of NHS services available to you over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Pharmacists are trained healthcare professionals who can offer advice on a range of minor ailments and signpost you to the right care in the case of more serious health conditions.

Community pharmacists are often open outside GP practice hours and a number in the area are open on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day too.

If you need to see a GP over the Christmas period, here’s the opening hours for walk-in centres in Liverpool and Merseyside:

Wirral Walk-in Centres

Victoria Central Walk-in Centre, Mill Lane, Wallasey

Opening Times:

Monday – Sunday 8.00am – 10:00pm

(X-ray facilities – open at 9.00am-8.30pm)

Eastham Walk-in Centre, Eastham Rake

Opening times:

Monday – Sunday 12.00 noon – 8.00pm (but CLOSED Christmas Day)

Arrowe Park Walk-in Centre

Arrowe Park Hospital, Arrowe Park Road

Opening Times:

Monday – Sunday 8.00am – 10:00pm

Liverpool Walk-in Centres

24th December 25th December 26th December 31st December 1st January

Old Swan 8am-8pm 8am-8pm 8am-8pm 8am-8pm 8am-8pm

Garston (SLTC) 8am-8pm 8am-8pm 8am-8pm 8am-8pm 8am-8pm

Smithdown 8am-8pm CLOSED 8am-8pm 8am-8pm 8am-8pm

The Beat 8am-8pm CLOSED 8am-8pm 8am-8pm

South Sefton Walk-in Centres

25 December Boxing Day New Year’s Day

Alexanders Pharmacy 49-51 Stuart Road, Crosby 12:00-14:00 CLOSED CLOSED

Asda Pharmacy 81 Strand Road, Bootle CLOSED 09:00-18:00 10:00-18:00

Asda Pharmacy Asda Superstore, Ormskirk Road Aintree CLOSED 09:00-18:00 10:00-17:00

Crosby Road Pharmacy 59 Crosby Road North, Waterloo 12:00-14:00 CLOSED CLOSED

Daveys Chemist 69 Randall Drive, Ford 12:00-14:00 CLOSED CLOSED

Knowsley Road Pharmacy 123/125 Knowsley Road 12:00-14:00 CLOSED CLOSED

Station Pharmacy 24 Station Road, Maghull 10:00-14:00 CLOSED CLOSED

Superdrug Pharmacy – Bootle Strand 36-38 The Esplanade, Strand Shopping Centre, Bootle 14:00-16:00 CLOSED CLOSED

Knowsley Walk-in Centres

These opening times are said to be ‘coming very shortly’ – and will soon be available here: https://www.rlbuht.nhs.uk/staff-blogs/royal-liverpool-and-broadgreen-hospitals-blog/heres-the-walk-in-centre-opening-times-for-liverpool-and-merseyside-over-christmas/

St Helens Walk-in Centres

The walk-in at the Millennimum Centre (Corporation Street) will be open at the same times over the Christmas period as it is for the rest of the year:

• Any Monday to Saturday the service is open 7am – 10pm

• Any Sunday the service is open 9am – 10pm

The X-ray department is open as follows:

Fri 25th December Closed Fri 1st January 9am-5pm

Sat 26th December 9am- 5pm Sat 2nd January 9am-5pm

Sun 27th December 9pm- 5pm Sun 3rd January 9am-5pm

Mon 28th December 9am-5pm

General advice

Dr Paul Fitzsimmons, deputy medical director at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We are reminding everyone to keep our emergency department free for those with serious illnesses and injuries.

“We want everyone to enjoy the festivities around Christmas and New Year, however we do want to make sure people consider using an alternative health providers such as a GP appointment which are now available at evening and weekends, walk-in centres, pharmacies or even speak to NHS111 for advice.

“There are lots of ways that you can enjoy the party season safely and look after your health, make sure that you end up in your own comfortable bed rather than in a hospital bed unnecessarily.”