If you need urgent medical advice which can’t wait until your GP practice is open, or you have a sudden onset or worsening of conditions, please call:
- NHS 24: 111
- Text phone users: 18001 111
- If English is not your first language: tell the person answering the call the language the patient speaks to be linked as soon as possible to a translation service
- in life threatening illness or injury always dial 999
The call handler will ask a few questions to help refer you to the GP out-of-hours service or direct you to another care service if they can help more quickly.
Assessments can only be arranged by contacting NHS 24, there are no walk-in centres.
If referred to our service, you will either be:
- called back by a doctor or nurse practitioner to discuss your problem
- given advice over the phone
- allocated an appointment to attend one of five out-of-hours centres located across Lothian
- visited in your own home if you are frail or elderly
All routine health matters, including repeat prescriptions must be dealt with by your own GP practice. Contact them during normal opening hours and check if they have an online repeat prescription service.
Your local pharmacy can also help with a wide range of minor illnesses first. Many offer consultations and can prescribe medicines for impetigo, shingles, skin infections and for some women urinary infections.
Dr Hayley Harris, Clinical Director of LUCS, explains how and when to access our out of hours service in this short film:
If you have any comments or complaints about Lothian’s GP Out of Hours service, which is also know as Lothian Unscheduled Care Services (LUCS) please write to:
NHS Lothian Patient Experience Team
2nd Floor,
Waverley Gate,
Edinburgh
EH1 3EG
or telephone 0131 536 3370
