Health providers across Bradford have reminded people which services they should access for different needs over the Easter bank holidays.

From when you should go to hospital to the illnesses easily treated by pharmacists, this is a guide to accessing healthcare over Easter.

The message from NHS Bradford district and Craven CCG comes just days after hospitals issued a warning over long waiting times.  

Hospital trusts, including Bradford Teaching Hospitals and Airedale, requested that people only went to A&E if they had a "genuine, life-threatening" reason.

When you should go to your GP, pharmacist, A&E hospital department and more

Easter Bank Holiday is taking place from Friday, April 15 and Monday, April 18 with the Early May Bank Holiday on Monday, May 2.

Will GP practices open over Easter?

Although GP practices will be closed, there are still pharmacies as well as NHS help services over the telephone available.

There are pharmacies open across the coming bank holidays. People can drop in for expert advice on many common illnesses such as headaches, sore throats and aches and pains, and there is no need to book an appointment.

Pharmacies can also give help and information on different medicines people can buy over the counter to help manage their illness.

To find out which pharmacies are open over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, people can visit the NHS website here.   

Many common illnesses and minor mishaps can also be treated at home, with a well-stocked medicine cabinet, including items such as paracetamol, antihistamines, plasters and bandages.

People are also being reminded to make sure that they have enough of their regular repeat medications to last over the longer weekends.

Dr Louise Clarke, GP and strategic clinical director at NHS Bradford District and Craven CCG said: “Pharmacies are a fantastic first port of call for people if they are unsure what to do about a minor illness.

"Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who can give you advice about your condition on the spot and recommend which medicines to buy should you need them.

"They will also be able to direct you to the right NHS service if they think that you need further help and advice.

“There are lots of pharmacies open over the bank holidays and at weekends, and they are often in convenient locations such as shopping centres or supermarkets.

“If you visit a pharmacy, please continue to wear a face covering and don’t go to one if you have any symptoms of coronavirus.

“I would also like to thank our patients and people across our area for choosing the right service which really helps at this extremely busy time.”

When should you go to A&E?

When assessing a trip to A&E, it is important to note that emergency departments are for accidents and emergencies. This could include severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, significant head injuries and broken bones.

Rob Aitchison, chief operating officer at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our Emergency Departments at both Airedale Hospital and Bradford Royal Infirmary have been extremely busy recently, and unfortunately that’s meant longer waits for people with less urgent issues.

“You can help by making sure that if you do choose to go to A&E for treatment, that it is the best place for you to go to get the right care."

For information about many common illnesses and injuries, symptoms, treatments and advice about what to do, when to get help and which NHS service to use, visit the NHS website here. 

Mr Aitchison added: “I’d also like to thank all our health and care colleagues who are working across the long weekend to keep services running and to care for others. Thank you for all that you continue to do for the people of Bradford District and Craven.”

Details of local wellbeing services across Bradford district and Craven can be found on the Healthy Minds website here. 

For urgent health advice that is not a life-threatening emergency, contact NHS 111, which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. People can check symptoms using NHS 111 online – 111.nhs.uk – or by calling the service free of charge on 111.

For urgent mental health support in Bradford District and Craven, call First Response on 0800 952 1181, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.