Christmas and New Year - where to go for help
Out-of-hours NHS services
Outside normal surgery hours you can still phone your GP surgery, but you’ll usually be directed to an out-of-hours service.
The out-of-hours period is from 6.30pm to 8am on weekdays and all day at weekends and on bank holidays. However, some GP surgeries offer evening and weekend appointments, so check your surgery’s website for details.
Further support:
NHS - Urgent and emergency care services
If you need medical help now but it’s not an emergency, you can also go to 111 online
You can also call 111
For life-threatening emergencies, call 999 for an ambulance.
Strike / industrial action
Ambulance industrial action dates announced
NHS strikes - nurses and medics
When is my pharmacy open over the Christmas and New Year?
Please contact your individual pharmacy for opening times as these vary across North Yorkshire.
North Yorkshire County Council
Essential services continue throughout the Christmas period.
For urgent social care matters that cannot be safely left until the next normal working day, contact North Yorkshire County Council on 01609 780 780 – 24 hours a day throughout the holiday period.
Social care - out of hours support
Do it online - apply, pay, or book services or report problems
Bus services
Local bus services will not be operating on Christmas Day 25 December, 26 December and 1 January. Buses are operating Sunday services on 27 December and 2 January, and may be operating to amended timetables between Christmas and New Year.
The YorBus service will not be running on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and 27 December, and again on New Years Day and 2 January. It will operate as normal on the other days over the festive period.
Train services
Information from National Rail:
Christmas and New Year 2022/2023 - travel summary
Still need help?
The following organisations stay open over Christmas, but please bare in mind they may be short staffed during this busy period:
Samaritans: 116 123
Lines are 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Age UK advice line: 0800 678 1602
Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year
The Healthwatch North Yorkshire office will be closing on Friday 23rd December at 4.30pm.
We will be back on Tuesday 3rd January 2023.
01423 788 128
Our voicemail system and email inboxes will still be open and your messages will be responded to upon our return to the office.
