THE NEXT Public Holidays are over the festive period on Monday 25 & Tuesday 26 December 2023 and Monday 1 & Tuesday 2 January 2024.

On Christmas Day and New Year's Day no community pharmacies will be open.

The following community pharmacies will be open on December 26: Galashiels Boots Pharmacy, Kelso Rowlands Pharmacy. Selkirk Right Medicine Pharmacy and West Linton Pharmacy.

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The following community pharmacies will be open on January 2: Duns GLM Romanes Pharmacy, Galashiels Boots Pharmacy, Selkirk Lindsay & Gilmour Pharmacy and West Linton Pharmacy

In preparation for the upcoming public holiday, please check your repeat prescription and order only what you need, in plenty of time.

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Community Pharmacists can provide you with expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and ailments and give advice about your medicines.

Please be considerate when attending your local pharmacy: You should stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you feel unwell. Please make arrangements for someone else to pick up your medication or ask your pharmacy to have your prescription delivered to your home, as you may unintentionally be putting yourself, pharmacy staff and others at unnecessary risk.

The Public Dental Service clinics at Hawick Dental Centre, Coldstream Dental Centre, Galashiels Health Centre and Kelso Health Centre will be closed on December 25 & 26 2023 and January 1 & 2 2024. Emergency dental cover will be provided by contacting NHS24 on 111.

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Most Health Centres and GP Practices in the Borders will be closed for the public holiday on December 25 & 26 2023 and January1 & 2 2024.

Please help us to keep you and our NHS safe by using our services wisely and seeking the right care at the right place.

If you need health advice or treatment for non-life-threatening conditions, please call NHS 24 on 111 and they will signpost you to the right place to get the advice or care that you need.

You may need to wait a while for your call to be answered or for a member of the team to call you back, but this can be done in the comfort of your own home.

If you do need to be seen you may be given an appointment. This will avoid you having to make any unnecessary trips to hospital and it also ensures that our specialists in the Emergency Department are available to treat people who require emergency medical care for life threatening conditions.

If it is an emergency, you should still call 999 as you did before or come to the Emergency Department, where our team will be able provide you with emergency medical care.

The Public Dental Service clinics at Hawick Dental Centre, Galashiels Health Centre and Kelso Health Centre will be closed for the Public Holiday.