14 April 2025

People in and around Portsmouth are being encouraged to Know Where to Go for medical help and advice this Easter bank holiday weekend to ensure they receive the right care and help ease pressure on emergency services. 

Bank Holidays can be busy times for hospitals and urgent and emergency services. On average over 400 people attend the Emergency Department at Queen Alexandra Hospital each day during Bank Holiday weekends, including those who could be better treated elsewhere.鈥� 

Emergency Departments are for life-threatening injuries and conditions and are not the right place for non-urgent injuries or illnesses. 

Our Chief Medical Officer, John Knighton, said: “Bank Holidays can be busy times for hospital and urgent and emergency services. With GP practices closed over the long weekend, many people can be unsure where to seek medical treatment and may feel they have no choice but to visit the Emergency Department. This can place extra pressure on our staff, and because we prioritise patients with serious or life-threatening conditions, others will experience longer waits than we would like. 

“We urge our community to choose the right service for their needs. For non-life-threatening conditions, Urgent Treatment Centres, pharmacies, or NHS 111 Online can help. We have three Urgent Treatment Centres in the area, equipped to handle conditions such as sprains, stings, burns, and other minor injuries. For advice on where to go, people can visit 111 online or call 111. Pharmacists are also available to provide expert guidance. 

“It is vital that we keep our Emergency Department available for those who need lifesaving care." 

Urgent Treatment Centres(UTC) in Your Area 
Your nearest Urgent Treatment Centres are: 

  • St Mary's: 8am to 8pm 
  • Gosport: 8am to 10pm 
  • Petersfield: 8am to 8pm 

Earlier this year a local resident shared how her local UTC supported her aunt after a fall; “My elderly Aunt had a fall in her flat.鈥� She took a lot of persuading to let me take her to the UTC so her wrist could be looked at.鈥� 

“To the friendly helpful receptionist and everyone else we met on the day, a big thank you for making the experience as good as it could be in the circumstances.鈥疉 particular thank you to the kind and superefficient Nurse Practitioner who treated my Aunt, putting her wrist in traction, then a cast and then who arranged for carers to help her at home.” 

Pharmacies are a convenient option for minor illnesses 
Many pharmacies will be open over the Bank Holiday weekend. You can find the

In addition to providing advice and support on minor illnesses, many pharmacies can now offer medication without a prescription for seven common conditions, including: 

  • Sinusitis 
  • Sore throat 
  • Earache 
  • Infected insect bite 
  • Impetigo (bacterial skin infection) 
  • Shingles 
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women 

No appointment is needed—you can speak to a trained pharmacist who will assess your symptoms and determine the next steps, which may include issuing a prescription for medication or referring you to another service. 

For more information on accessing the right medical care, visit: