The cut-off date for people in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire who need to order their repeat prescription ahead of the busy festive season is fast approaching.

To ensure that medicine can be ordered and collected ahead of the Christmas and New Year period - when many pharmacies will be closed or operating with reduced opening hours - people must get their repeat prescriptions in no later than this Friday (December 16).

After this date, pharmacies across the region will not be able to guarantee that medicine will be ready for collection on or before Friday, December 23, which for many sites will be the last day before January with normal opening hours.

Nadine Fox, director of medicines optimisation, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “We really do not want any person to be caught out this Christmas by not having enough medicine.

“Ordering repeat prescriptions early not only ensures people can start enjoying the festivities safe in the knowledge they have enough of what they need to stay well, but also helps our pharmacy colleagues to effectively manage all requests that come in."

Christmas and New Year opening hours for all local pharmacies will be available shortly at www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk, which is also the go-to location for up-to-date information on all local health and care services.