Date published: 27 March 2026
Cheshire and Merseyside residents are being advised to plan ahead for the Easter bank holiday by knowing in advance where to access urgent help and ensuring they have enough medication for their medical needs.
The bank holiday is traditionally a period where friends and family meet up more than in normal weeks, so parents are encouraged to check their children are fully immunised and more information about school aged vaccinations is available on our Vaccination and Immunisation Service webpage. Even a small number of unvaccinated children can lead to outbreaks, which can disrupt holiday plans and pose serious health risks to the wider community.
“The Easter holidays bring more mixing and more opportunities for infections to spread," explained Dr Fiona Lemmens, Executive Clinical Director for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside. "Making sure children are up to date with their routine vaccinations is one of the most important steps parents and carers can take right now.
"We strongly encourage parents and carers in Cheshire and Merseyside to use this time to check their child’s vaccination record. If your child has missed a vaccine, please don’t worry — contact your GP, it’s never too late to check if you can catch up."
People who rely on repeat prescriptions are also urged to request them as soon as possible so GP practices and pharmacies have time to process and dispense medication. Some GP practices and pharmacies will have limited opening hours over the Easter period, and many will be closed from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April, making it more challenging for patients to access medicines at short notice.
NHS 111 can assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, including urgent treatment centres, GP practices, and consultations with a pharmacist. If needed it can arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic or provide self-treatment advice over the phone. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Urgent treatment centres and walk-in centres provide same-day medical help for non-life-threatening issues. Some centres will be operating under reduced hours during the bank holidays and more details can be found on our specialist webpage.
If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option to talk to a professional. This service is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For urgent dental help or advice, please contact your dentist first. If your dental practice is closed, or you aren’t registered at one, you can call the local dental helpline for Cheshire and Merseyside on 0161 476 9651.
The easiest way to request a repeat prescription via the NHS App or through your GP practice website. The NHS App also allows people to book and cancel appointments at their GP practice, view their health record and get trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments.
“If you need urgent medical help this Easter and you’re not sure where to go, NHS 111 is the best place to start," added Dr Lemmens. "It can assess your symptoms and direct you to the most appropriate service for you, quickly and safely. If someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, you should always call 999 or go straight to A&E.”
