No-one wants to get sick or hurt over the festive season, but sometimes it just happens.

Residents across the area will experience varying pharmacy opening hours during the festive period. It's important to stay informed of these changes to access necessary services. Here's a comprehensive guide for the local-ish area.

Street

• Boots Pharmacy, Vine Health Park: Closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Open from 27th to 30th December and 2nd January between 09:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:30, and on New Year's Eve from 09:00-13:00.
• Tout's Pharmacy, High Street: Open on Christmas Eve from 09:00-17:00, closed from Christmas Day to New Year's Day, and open on 2nd January from 09:00-17:30.

Glastonbury

• Knights Pharmacy, Feversham Lane: Open on Christmas Eve from 09:00-13:00, Christmas Day from 10:00-12:00, and 2nd January from 08:00-18:30. Closed from Boxing Day to New Year's Day.

Shepton Mallet

• Boots Pharmacy, The Park Medical Practice: Closed from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, open from 27th to 30th December and 2nd January between 09:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00.
• Boots Pharmacy, Townsend Shopping Park: Open on Christmas Eve from 08:30-18:00, New Year's Eve to New Year's Day from 10:00-16:00. Closed from Christmas Day to Boxing Day and on 2nd January.
• Evercreech Pharmacy, Victoria Square: Open on Christmas Eve from 09:00-13:00, from 27th to 30th December, and 2nd January between 09:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00. Closed from Christmas Day to Boxing Day and New Year's Eve to New Year's Day.

Wells

• Boots Pharmacy, High Street: Open on Christmas Eve from 09:00-13:15 and 13:45-17:30, from 27th to 30th December, and 2nd January between the same hours. Closed from Christmas Day to Boxing Day and New Year's Eve to New Year's Day.
• Tesco In-Store Pharmacy, Tucker Street: Open from 27th to 30th December and 2nd January from 08:30-19:00, and New Year's Eve to New Year's Day from 10:00-16:00. Closed from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day.
• Wells City Pharmacy, Priory Health Park: Open on Boxing Day from 14:00-16:00, from 27th to 30th December, and 2nd January between 08:30-18:00. Closed from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day and New Year's Eve to New Year's Day.

As we look towards the wider area, Yeovil's Boots Pharmacy on Middle Street will operate on Christmas Eve from 09:00 to 16:00. Similarly, in Taunton, Morrison's Pharmacy at Dellers Wharf extends its services on Christmas Eve from 09:00 to 17:00. Bridgwater's Asda Pharmacy on East Quay will ensure comprehensive care is provided on both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve with hours from 09:00 to 12:30, 13:00 to 16:30, and 17:00 to 21:00.

More help:

• You can use 111 online, the NHS App or call 111 for help and advice if you are feeling unwell. If needed, 111 can arrange for a clinician to call you back to discuss your health or advise you on which is the best service to help you. 111 can also help you access emergency prescriptions, if you are running out of medication. Currently the service is experiencing high call volumes so if you are calling 111, please be patient as calls can take five minutes or more to be answered. 
• You can attend your local minor injuries unit for urgent not life-threatening conditions and injuries such as sprains, fractures and burns. For the latest information on opening hours and services, visit the MIU pages. 
• There are many minor illnesses that can affect anyone over the winter months from coughs and colds to eye and ear infections and skin conditions. For many of these, your local community pharmacist can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines to help relieve symptoms. Community pharmacies are staffed with community pharmacists who can offer clinical advice including for childhood conditions. Some pharmacies will be open over the bank holidays during the festive season for more information on which community pharmacies will be open over the bank holidays visit NHS England — South West » Pharmacy opening hours 
• If you need emergency care, please continue to call 999 or use your nearest accident and emergency department. Do contact 111 first if you are unsure if you need to use A&E services. 
• There are apps you can download with advice to help you look after you child. Visit this apps page to download them.

Support with your mental health 

People can struggle with their mental health over the festive season. Help is at hand. We have face to face safe spaces and a 24-hour helpline that you can call. You can also access help and advice via our Open Mental Health website. 

If you or someone you know struggles with an out-of-hours mental health crisis this Christmas, book a session with the Crisis Safe Space team. 

• Fri 22nd Dec, Face-to-face sessions in Glastonbury, Taunton, Yeovil & Bridgwater from 6pm until 11pm 
• Sat 23rd Dec to Mon 1st Jan, Remote service available via phone or Zoom – Somerset wide from 6pm until 11pm. 
• Tues 2nd Jan, Face-to-face sessions in Glastonbury, Taunton, Yeovil & Bridgwater from 6pm until 11pm 

Somerset Mindline 

Mindline remains open to offer support every day 24/7. 

Shout Text 

Is the UK's first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It's a place to go if you're struggling to cope and you need immediate help. 

If you struggle to pick up and ring to ask for help, you can contact Shout via text on the number below. SHOUT will work with you to find ways to help you access the support you have in place as well as other forms of support available to you. They will also contact emergency services or social services if needed. 

Domestic Abuse

Sadly, cases of domestic violence increase over the festive season. This is not just physical but also emotional abuse. In an emergency, please call 999. Somerset Domestic Abuse Service You can call 0800 6949999 (option 2) 8 am – 8 pm seven days a week The helpline will be open 9am-1pm Christmas day and bank holidays.