Minor Injuries Unit: a local alternative to A&E for minor injuries

The Minor Injuries Unit at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh is open seven days a week from 9.00am to 9.00pm. No appointment is necessary. It is staffed by specialist nurses and offers the following services:

• Treatment for a wide range of injuries, such as cuts, burns, sprains, and simple fractures for patients aged over one year
• X-rays for patients aged 12 years and over
• Simple painkillers, tetanus vaccination and certain antibiotics for patients aged 12 years and over
• Physiotherapy referral
• Advice and health promotion is offered to all patients who attend

Call the Minor Injuries Unit on 0131 537 1330.
Click to view map and instructions on how to get to the WGH

Emergency Department / Accident & Emergency (A&E):

The Emergency Department at the Royal Infirmary deals primarily with the needs of adults (aged 13 and over) who require emergency treatment. The department sees and treats over 1500 people each week.

Please think carefully before using emergency services. People who use emergency services for minor problems may prevent others with emergencies from getting immediate care.

Emergency conditions include trauma, head injuries, suspected fractures, drug overdose, suspected heart attack and breathing difficulties.

Emergency Department, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (age 13 and over)
51 Little France Crescent
Old Dalkeith Road
Edinburgh
EH16 4SA
0131 536 1000

Click to view map and instructions on how to get to the RIE

For children under the age of 13 years there is a separate emergency department:

Click to view map and instructions on how to get to the RHSC.

Further information on emergency services at: www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Dental Services:

You can obtain details of NHS dentists currently registering patients by telephoning 0131 537 8444 .

You can consult our Dentist Finder to find a list of Dental Practices nearest to your home (Please note that this is simply a list of dentists and they may not be registering new NHS patients).

Emergency dental care – Daytime Hours:

If you are registered with a dentist, contact your dental practice. If you are not sure about the emergency arrangements at your dental practice, ask about these the next time you visit.

Unregistered patients : If you are not registered with a dentist, or are unable to contact your dentist, an emergency service for the relief of pain only is available:

Chalmers Dental Centre (Adults 16years and over)
3 Chalmers Street
Edinburgh 0131 536 4800

Mon - Thurs, 9am - 4.45pm and Fri, 9am to 4.15pm

Children's Department (Children under age 16)
Edinburgh Dental Institute
Level 3, Lauriston Building
Lauriston Place
Edinburgh

Mon to Fri 9.00-11am and 2-3.00pm

Directions and contact details: www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Emergency Dental Care – Out Of Hours:

If you are registered with a dentist, phone your dental practice. All NHS dentists have arrangements in place to provide cover for their registered patients.

Unregistered patients

If you are unregistered please telephone the Lothian Dental Advice Line: Tel 0131 536 4800. Lothian Dental Advice line is operational in the evenings and at weekends to offer advice or to arrange for you to receive urgent dental care. A dental nurse adviser will take your call and assess the urgency of your symptoms in a similar way to the triage nursing system at Chalmers Dental Centre (above). The emergency service is only available for the relief of pain.

Pharmacy Minor Ailments Scheme

Are you exempt from prescription charges? For example, if you have current maternity or medical exemption certificate, or if you are under age 18 and in full time education. If so you are eligible for the Pharmacy Minor Ailments Scheme.

This is a new NHS scheme for people who don’t pay prescription charges. It means that if your pharmacist thinks you need it, they can give you a medicine for a minor illness without you having to pay for it. This potentially saves you having to make an appointment with your GP to get a prescription for a minor complaint, which can include:

Acne, Athletes Foot, Backache, Cold Sores, Constipation, Cough, Diarrhoea, Earache, Eczema, Eye infections, Hemorrhoids, Hayfever, Headache, Head Lice, Indigestion, Mouth Ulcers, Nasal Congestion Pain, Period pain, Thrush, Sore Throat, Warts, Worms or Verrucae.

You have to register with the pharmacy of your choice to participate in this scheme, by giving your details and signing a form. The pharmacist will check electronically that you are exempt from paying for prescriptions. You can only be registered at one pharmacy at a time for this scheme, although you can still use other pharmacies to purchase medication or collect prescriptions. Remember you can still see your GP if you prefer, and that your pharmacist may advise you to seek medical advice when they feel that would be more appropriate.

This information has been taken from the NHS leaflet “The NHS Minor Ailments Service at your community pharmacy” – please collect or ask for further information at your local pharmacy, or look online at www.nhs24.com.

Physiotherapy

In Lothian you are now able to refer yourself for routine physiotherapy assessment and treatment. In order to do this you need to print and fill out the self referral form

Please send the form to the relevant clinic or hand it to reception at the practice. On page 2 you will find the list of available clinics; the Western General, Leith Community Treatment Centre and McLeod Street are our most local services. Your GP can also refer you, particularly if you have complex problem/s, or if the problem is causing significant disability.

Further physiotherapy information at: www.ecps.scot.nhs.uk

Optometry/Opticians:

There have been significant changes to primary eye care since the 2006 General Ophthalmic Services Act Scotland. All people in Scotland are now entitled to a free eye check every 2 years.

In addition, optometrists are now offering a free NHS service to see patients with acute/new eye problems for assessment and further management as appropriate. This means that you can refer yourself, or your GP can refer you if appropriate, for various eye problems. This is a new and developing scheme which was introduced to make better use of community optometrists, who have significant expertise and sophisticated equipment, to deal with more eye problems in the community. Phone your local optometrist or check with the practice if you have an eye problem which you think may be dealt with by your optometrist.

Podiatry:

We have an NHS podiatry clinic based within the health centre, although they run independently from the GP Practices. You can refer yourself by picking up a form from their doorway, or by printing out and filling in the form then returning it to podiatry.

Podiatrists offer a range of services dedicated to foot care, including:

• Surgery for ingrowing toenails
• Biomechanics
• Insoles and specialised shoe wear
• Removing corns and dead skin
• Specialised diabetic foot care– neuropathic ulcers etc

Please note NHS podiatry does not cater for routine nail care and cutting unless there are relevant medical circumstances.

Breast Screening Service:

All women aged between 50-70 are currently offered breast screening by mammography (X-ray examination) every 3 years. After 70 you are still entitled to a mammogram, but you will not be automatically invited – phone the number below to ask for an appointment.

Women under the age of 50 are not offered screening unless they have previously had breast cancer, have a first degree relative who developed breast cancer early (usually taken to mean <45yrs of age), or are known to carry certain genes which predispose to early-onset breast cancer.

The programme is centrally coordinated with invitations being done on a 3 yearly basis, by GP practice – this means that you may not be invited immediately on turning 50 (if your practice has just been screened) , but you should have received your first appointment before turning 53. Green practice patients were invited in 2008 and will next be called in 2011.

Breast Screening Programme
Ardmillan House
42 Ardmillan Terrace
Edinburgh
EH11 2JL
0131 537 7400

Family Planning and Well Woman Services:

The Family Planning Clinic is an NHS clinic offering a wide range of services which include:

• Contraception (the pill, mini-pill, the coil, diaphragm, cap, condoms, sterilisation/vasectomy)
• Advice and management of - pre-menstrual symptoms and menopause
• Cervical smears and colposcopy
• Sexual health testing and advice
• Period problems
• Pregnancy testing and advice
• Well woman advice and breast checks
• Young persons clinic

Please see their web site links for information and advice, or telephone to make an appointment:

Dean Terrace Family Planning and Well Woman Clinic
18, Dean Terrace
Edinburgh
EH4 1NL 0131 332 7941/343 6243
www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

You do not require a GP referral to attend the Family Planning Clinic, although your GP may suggest referral if you have initially consulted them. Some clinics operate on a drop-in basis.

Sexual Health/Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM):

This is an NHS clinic offering a wide range of sexual health services, including:

• Sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment
• Counseling and testing for HIV
• Treatment and ongoing care for people with HIV
• Sexual health advice and promotion, including free condom supplies
• Emergency contraception and pregnancy testing

You do not require a GP referral, although your GP may suggest referral for assessment of ongoing problems. You can make an appointment by telephoning 0131 536 2104, or you can attend the drop-in clinic for urgent problems by turning up between 8.30am-10am Mon-Fri.

GUM Clinic, Level 1Lauriston Building
Lauriston Place
Edinburgh
EH3 9HA 0131 536 2103

Further information and directions at: www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Smoking Cessation

What are your reasons for stopping?

You may find it helps to focus on what's really important to YOU. It may be

• better short-term health. Blood pressure and heart rate drop immediately, and circulation improves. Usually the lung cleansing mechanism also starts to recover, and breathing improves.
• a feeling of energy or well-being.
• less worry about long-term health risks. In general, risk of heart attack halves in about a year, and risk of cancer is greatly reduced within a few years of stopping smoking. Ask your doctor about the effects of smoking on your own health.
• feeling less stressed, and more in control, after the initial effort of stopping.
• social benefits. Less worry about whether you can smoke with friends or in public, and about the health risks for others.
• more money.
• pregnancy. You'll give your baby the best chance of a healthy start.

CONTACT:
Stop Smoking Service
TEL: 336 0976 or 551 1671

PLEASE READ THE "SMOKE FREE" LEAFLET FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT CLINIC TIMES AND SERVICES

MEDICATION MAY BE PRESCRIBED IF APPROPRIATE.

YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO ATTEND FOR 6 TO 8 APPOINTMENTS.

NHS QUITLINE NUMBER: 0800 00 22 00

(HELPLINES AVAILABLE IN BENGALI, GUJERATI, HINDI, PUNJABI, URDU, TURKISH/KURDISH)

Childhood Immunisations:

Babies generally have their first vaccines at their 6-8 wk baby check appointment, with Dr Nicol, Reid or Sayers. Subsequent appointments are with members of the Nurse Team and you need to book appointments for these. If you have questions about any aspect of the immunisation programme please speak to your GP, Health Visitor or Practice Nurse.

The UK Immunisation schedule and web site is given below:

www.immunisation.nhs.uk