Over the Christmas and New Year bank holiday period, some local pharmacies will be open to provide advice, treatment and access to medicines when GP services are closed.
NHS England has published details of pharmacies that have been commissioned to open over the festive period across the East of England, including Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, as well as neighbouring areas.
You can find the full, up-to-date list of pharmacy opening times by visiting the NHS England website:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/east-of-england/pharmacy-information/
This includes information for the following areas:
- Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes
- Hertfordshire & West Essex
- Mid & South Essex
- Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
- Suffolk & North East Essex
- Norfolk & Waveney (Christmas Day and Boxing Day)
- Norfolk & Waveney (New Year’s Day)
For opening times of other pharmacies not listed, you can also use the NHS Find a Pharmacy service on www.nhs.uk, where you can enter your postcode to see which pharmacies are open near you. If you do not have access to the internet, please ask a relative or friend to check on your behalf.
Please note that opening times may change, and the information provided was correct at the time of publication (11 December 2025).
How your local pharmacy can help
Your local pharmacy can offer advice and support for a wide range of minor illnesses and health concerns. Some pharmacies are also able to provide treatment and, in certain cases, prescription medication without you needing to see a GP. This service is known as Pharmacy First.
Conditions that may be treated under Pharmacy First include:
- Earache (children aged 1–17 years)
- Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
- Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
- Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
- Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
- Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) for women aged 16–64 years
Other services pharmacies provide include advice on medicines, disposal of old medicines, support with new prescriptions, emergency contraception, and free blood pressure checks.
For more information about pharmacy services and to find your nearest pharmacy, please visit www.nhs.uk.