Bank holiday pharmacy access: what to arrange by 31 August

People in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who rely on regular medication should check their supply now and contact their usual pharmacy before Monday 31 August 2026. Pharmacy opening hours may be reduced for the summer bank holiday, so confirm availability before travelling.

Check prescriptions and medicine supplies early

Count how many doses you have left, allowing for the full bank holiday period. If you may run out, contact your usual pharmacy as early as possible and ask when your prescription or medicine can be collected.

Before Monday:

• Check every regular medicine, including refrigerated or specialist items.
• Request any prescription you will need through your usual NHS route.
• Ask the pharmacy when the medicine will be ready.
• Arrange for someone else to collect it if necessary and permitted.

Do not assume a pharmacy will keep its normal Monday hours. Individual branches set their own schedules, and listed times can change around public holidays.

Summer bank holiday dates differ across the UK

The UK Government calendar lists the following 2026 summer bank holiday dates:

The 31 August arrangements therefore do not represent a UK-wide summer bank holiday. People travelling between regions should check local services at their destination.

NHS 111 can help when a prescription supply runs out

If you cannot obtain a prescription in time, the NHS 111 emergency-prescription service provides an online route for people seeking a limited emergency supply of prescribed medicine. Where appropriate, it may direct an eligible patient to a participating pharmacy.

This route is intended for medicine that has previously been prescribed regularly. Whether an emergency supply can be provided depends on factors including the medicine, the patient’s circumstances and the pharmacy’s ability to supply it. People who cannot use the online service can call 111.

An emergency supply is not a replacement for requesting repeat prescriptions in good time. Contacting the usual pharmacy first may avoid delays and helps staff check the patient’s established prescription arrangements.

Confirm pharmacy hours before leaving home

Use the NHS pharmacy finder to locate nearby pharmacies and review their listed contact and opening information. Call the selected pharmacy before travelling to confirm that it is open, participates in the relevant service and can help with the medicine required.

A pharmacy appearing in search results does not guarantee that it will be open throughout the bank holiday or hold a particular medicine.

Call 999 for a medical emergency

The NHS 111 emergency-prescription route deals with access to prescribed medicine; it is not an emergency medical response. Call 999 or go to A&E when someone has a life-threatening illness or injury. If urgent help is needed but the situation is not life-threatening, NHS 111 can advise on the appropriate service.

Source: UK Government