PEOPLE in Ludlow and south Shropshire are being urged not to get caught out without medicines over the New Year.

The warning comes days after the NHS service was flooded with calls during the Christmas holiday.

Shropdoc, the GP out-of-hours service for Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin, was inundated with calls over the Christmas period leading to some people having to wait far longer than normal to speak to a doctor.

However, a large number of these calls were from people who wanted a repeat prescription, something the service says could have anticipated before the holiday, or alternatively been dealt with by a community pharmacy.

Many people do not realise that pharmacies can issue repeat prescriptions.

“Pharmacies can issue medicines as long as you have your slip – it doesn’t even have to be the pharmacy you normally use,” said Dr Caron Morton of the Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

“They do not require a GP’s signature to authorise every prescription. Even if a Shropdoc GP issues a repeat prescription you will still need to take it to a pharmacy.”

Dr Morton has also urged people to use pharmacies to stock up on over-the-counter remedies from seasonal colds and flu.

“Pharmacies can be an underused resources,” she added.

“Many medications that control the symptoms of seasonal conditions are available over the counter at your pharmacy with pharmacist advice. You can normally stock-up when you do your shopping.”

Lloyds Pharmacy at 1 and 2 Lower Galdeford in Ludlow is open on New Year's Day between noon and 1pm.