A BBC health expert has issued a warning to anyone in the UK who gets a repeat prescription. Speaking on BBC Morning Live Dr Oscar Duke said people need to take action in the next two days to ensure they’ve got a good supply of medication over the Christmas period.

Dr Duke claimed that because many GPsurgeries are closed over the festive periodand currently they’re inundated with issues such as the rising flu rate, people would be advised to take action early. He said: “This Friday is Friday the 12th, an important day, particularly for repeat prescriptions. So getting your prescriptions.

“In order before the festive period, it is soimportant because lots of GP practices will be closed, most will certainly be closed at Christmas, on Christmas Day, on Boxing Day, on the bank holidays, and we, it’s a difficult time for GPs at the minute, you know, we’re inundated with people, coughs, colds, flu, all these, all of these illnesses that come out at this time of year. So the receptionists are busy sorting out the repeat prescriptions.

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“If you can just get in early to request your repeat medicines so that you’ve got your stock, you’re not stressing you can be wrapping your presents and not worrying about getting down to the pharmacy to pick things up. Ideally, 5 working days for the pharmacy is what they ask for. Some are obviously quicker than that, but we need to give them plenty of time to make sure that you can get that prescription.”

Anyone travelling away this Christmas has also been told to plan properly - and don’t leave themselves without enough important drugs. He added: “If you are travelling, if you’re off somewhere for Christmas, make sure that you’ve got a little safety stocking of medications, my 7 day safety stocking, I like to say.

"So you’ve got to take, I want you to take 7 more days’ worth of medicine with you than you actually need for your trip in case you get delayed by weather, there’s travel delays, you lose some of your medicine and keep that little 7 day supply somewhere different to the other one.

“So if your bag gets lost or you drop something down the loo, you’ve still got the medicine and you don’t have to be stressing to go and find it.“ Dr Duke told hosts Helen Skelton and Rav Wilding that even if people are away they can get their prescription renewed in an emergency through calling 111.

He said: “111 have an online service where you can go in and work out how you can get your prescription renewed in an emergency, so they will be able to tell you that. Some pharmacies, if you go in with your repeat prescription or evidence that you take something, particularly if it’s a sort of life sustaining or really important medicine, they might be able to give you a short supply if you really get into a panic, but that should be a kind of last resort.”