Four Craven GP practices are opening extra mornings over the holiday in a bid to reduce the demand on A&E services.

Settle’s Townhead Surgery, Silsden Group Practice, Grassington Medical Centre and Cross Hills Group Practice will offer extra appointments thanks to funding from Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS England.

All four will be open on Saturday, with Townhead also seeing patients on Sunday and New Year’s Day and Silsden on New Year’s Day.

Dr Colin Renwick, chairman of Airedale Wharfedale and Craven CCG, said: “We are really grateful to the GPs and their staff who are providing extra sessions to help reduce pressures on other NHS services. Patients of practices who are not open will still be able to access urgent care through the NHS111 service.”

And many winter health problems can be solved by staying at home and taking over-the-counter cold and flu remedies.

A pharmacy service will be available in Skipton over the bank holiday, with The Medical Centre on Coach Street open on Christmas Day, Lloyds Pharmacy on Newmarket Street on Boxing Day and Lloyds Pharmacy on Caroline Square will be open on New Year’s Day. Opening hours will be noon to 1pm.