New Year health: Here's the details of which pharmacists are open over the holiday weekend - and some good health advice

On January 1 the pharmacy which is open is Larbert Pharmacy at 94 Main Street, from 10-11am, call 01324 557596.

On Monday, January 2, Boots the Chemist in Falkirk’s High Street will be open from 11am to 5pm, call 01324 620535, while in Bo’ness Boots Pharmacy at 60 South Street, will be open form 11am-noon, call 01506 822106. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, January 3 which is also a public holiday the following pharmacists will be open: Boots the Chemist, 79-91 High Street, Falkirk ,9am – 5.45pm, call 01324 620535; T. McLean & Sons, 13 King Street, Stenhousemuir, 9am – 6pm, call 01324 553323; and Boots the Chemist, 32-34 La Porte Precinct, Grangemouth, 10am – 4pm, call 01324 482118.

However, health bosses have urged people to check they have basic home remedies ahead of the holiday period to avoid having to find a pharmacy on a bank holiday.

NHS Forth Valley’s medical director, Andrew Murray, said most seasonal illnesses can be looked after at home with self-care and things like paracetamol, adding: “Christmas is a fun but hectic time for most people. It’s easy to get swept up in the festive atmosphere and forget that health should be on your priority list.

“Making sure you have home remedies for common ailments will save you time and help you focus on the celebrations. NHS 24’s 111 service is there to help if you need urgent health care support, but we know that roughly 30 per cent of people who call 111 need self-help advice on common illnesses and conditions that can normally be managed at home.”

The doctor recommended people have pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen at home, and for little ones, get age-appropriate pain remedies which you can also get in liquid form. He said it was handy to have a thermometer to monitor temperatures. accurately.Ensuring your first aid kit was fully stocked is another useful tip and using the NHS inform website for information on how to treat common conditions such as rashes, tummy upsets and earaches.