Conan Doyle Medical Centre Tel: 0131 666 5160
Portobello Surgery
Tel: 0131 669 8406
Video consultation waiting room. Only for pre-booked appointments
The surgery is open from 8.00 am - 6.00 pm Monday to Friday. Consultations are available throughout the day. We are closed at weekends and most bank Holidays. When we are closed contact NHS 24 on 111.
If you have a serious problem and need advice urgently please tell reception. Times of additional emergency appointments may vary but are generally after the morning and afternoon surgery. You will be offered the next available emergency appointment if you need one. It is not possible to pre-book an emergency time.
We are one of a number of practices in Lothian who are offering GP Surgeries outside normal working hours. The pattern varies a little from week to week, but in general, each week there is one early morning surgery from 7.00 - 8.00 am
For results please phone after 12 noon
The practice will be closed on the following dates:
2021/22
Wednesday 6th October 2021 from 12:30 for staff training
Monday Sept 20th Autumn
Monday Dec 27th Christmas
Tuesday Dec 28th Christmas
Monday Jan 3rd New Year
Tuesday Jan 4th New Year
NHS24 is the access point for out of hours services in Edinburgh City (www.nhs24.com).
NHS24 is responsible for all calls on weekdays from 6.00pm to 8.00am and at weekends from 6.00pm on Friday to 8.00am on Monday.
During these hours you can telephone directly to 111 for advice and help.
In the event of a life threatening emergency telephone 999.
The practice recognises the importance of medical education both within the team and to those undergoing training programmes. These will be our doctors and primary health care workers of the future. For many years we have been committed to this and have reached and maintained the high standards set down for training practices. We always have a number of qualified doctors working at the practice undergoing further training to be General Practitioners and also other medical specialties. We are grateful to our patients for understanding the importance of and supporting us in this.
News
Vaccine drop-in centres for the over 40s will be launched across NHS Lothian as part of the battle against COVID-19.
Clinics will be rolled-out in mass vaccination sites, from Wednesday (June 9), for people aged 40 and over, who require a first or second dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
Anyone over the age of 40, who have not yet had their first dose – for whatever reason – can attend the clinic without an appointment, while those who are waiting for their second dose can turn up as long as they received their first injection of the Astra Zenaca vaccine at least eight weeks before.
The clinics will run at Lowland Hall and Pyramids Vaccination centres from Wednesday through to Sunday (June 13). Starting from June 14, they will run at every centre except Lowland Hall.
People will be seen on a first come first served basis, and the centres will run for 10 hours every day.
NHS Lothian has joined up with the British Armed Forces as part of this key stage to accelerate the programme and provide increased protection for more people as quickly as possible.
A total of 36 Army personnel have been deployed into Lothian to help deliver vaccines across all of the centres.
That extra capacity - which equates to more than 3,500, appointments each day – will allow the vaccination team to target people who have not yet had the vaccine and may also speed up the process for those waiting for a second injection.
Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said the clinics, which will run for two weeks, were an important step.
He added: "This is a really exciting step for us because it means we can reach a lot of people really quickly to help give them some protection, which is obviously vital to help beat new variants and keep people well.
"We are delighted to team up with the British Armed Forces again. Our teams have previously worked with them in two of our vaccination centres and we invited them to return to provide extra capacity across our centres as part of this race. They will join our teams at the routine appointment clinics and in the drop-in clinics."
https://news.nhslothian.scot/Pages/20210608_Dropinclinics.aspx
VAC4COVID - new MEMO study to look at vaccine safety
We would like to let you know about the new VAC4COVID study. The study is funded by the University of Dundee and was launched on the 4th February. The study will recuit anyone over 18 years who is eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine. The study hopes to monitor all aspects of the vaccination process in the wider public. The researchers are looking at ways of maximising recruitment. They have produced a poster and leaflet that are available for use in practices. They hope the poster and leaflets will be read by patients visiting practices for their vaccines or general appointments. The posters and leaflets are available from the network on request. For further information about the study:
BBC website BBC VAC4COVID Coverage or other press and media coverage.
The study website
is VAC4COVID Study Website.
The winter vaccination programme has started. If you are eligible for a free flu vaccine, you will get a letter from NHS Scotland. This will either give you an appointment date and time at one of the flu vaccination clinics in Lothian, or instruct you to make an appointment using an online portal.
If you are eligible for a COVID booster, you may get this at the same time as your flu jab, but this is not guaranteed, and you may have to attend two separate appointments.
You will not get your flu or COVID jabs at your GP practice. Please do not contact the surgery about your flu or COVID jab appointments.
If you have received a letter with an appointment that you are unable to attend, you can rearrange your appointment online at https://www.nhsinform.scot/flu-vaccine/invitations-and-appointments/rearrange-your-flu-vaccine-appointment.
Alternatively you can call the Lothian helpline on 0300 790 6296 for assistance with re-booking.
If you are housebound, your jabs will be given to you by the housebound team, and they will be in touch to arrange this.
Before calling your GP Practice please check if any of these healthcare professionals can help on our attached guide – here
Covid - entering our practice
Please remember these three simple rules:
Wear a face covering, Keep your distance. Sanitise your hands
Do not enter our building if you suspect you have any covid symptoms.
Regular testing for people with no COVID-19 symptoms is one of the ways we can all help keep people safe and stop new variants spreading in Edinburgh. Infection rates are rising again across Edinburgh, so we’re still asking people to keep testing, even if they’ve been vaccinated.
People with no COVID-19 symptoms and haven’t been identified as a close contact can come along for a test at one of our community test centres or mobile test units run by the Scottish Ambulance Service. There’s no need to book and testing is free, fast and safe. People with symptoms must book a PCR test online or call National Testing Centre on 119.
Community test centres
You will take a lateral flow test which will take around 15 minutes and we’ll send you your results in around 45 minutes.
· Blackhall Library until Saturday 11 September (closed Sundays), 9am to 6pm
· Gilmerton Library, Monday 6 September to Saturday 11 September, 9am to 6pm
Mobile test units
You will take a PCR test which will be sent to a laboratory. You will be sent your results in 24 to 72 hours.
· Tumbles/Power League car park, 20 Westbank Street, Portobello EH15 1DR until Sunday 12 September, 10am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and 9.30am to 5pm on Sundays
· South East locality office, 40 Captain's Road, Edinburgh, EH17 8QF until Sunday 12 September, 10am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and Sundays 9.30am to 5pm
· The Assembly Rooms, George Street from Monday 6 September to Saturday 11 September 9am to 5pm
· Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, 30 Harvesters Way, from Monday 6 September to Sunday 12 September, 10am to 5.30pm
· Davidson’s Mains Parish Church car park, 1 Quality Street from Monday 6 September to Friday 10 September 9am to 4pm
If you can’t get to one of the test centres, you can order free rapid lateral flow test kits online or by phoning the National Testing Centre on 119 or collect them from most chemists or libraries in Edinburgh.
Almost 1 in 3 people infected with Covid-19 don’t have any of the usual symptoms but are potentially passing on the virus unknowingly to family, friends and others in the community. By getting tested people can find out if they are positive and self-isolate at home to stop spreading the virus to others. People who have been vaccinated are also encouraged to take a test as they may still carry the virus.
You can find out more about community testing on our web pages at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/communitytesting
Please can you share this with your contacts in the community and encourage people to come along for testing.
Thank you for your help.
Patient Information
The Surgery will be closed from 12.30pm on Wednesday 6th October 2021
for Staff Protected Learning.
Limited telephone appointments will be available for EMERGENCIES only.