Top Menu

Navigation

You are here: Home › PATIENTS › Get Help Now

Get Help Now

We are keen to highlight services which can be accessed independently, without a GP referral.  These self-referral options are normally quicker than being referred by your GP, and offer direct access to specialist services.  They will usually provide information to your GP on discharge from their service, unless you ask them not to.

We have also listed some useful online resources for advice and guidance on some common or difficult situations.

During coronavirus restrictions, there are a number of special phonelines set up for the following services:

  • CWIC Mental Health Support Line: call 01620 642 963 on Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm
  • Minor Injuries Assessment: call 07977 246 848 11am-7pm
  • Musculoskeletal  Assessment Service: call 01620 642 968 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays 9-11.30am

Further information about these services, and some others is available here. 

For NHS advice on how to manage a range of health conditions, and how to access medical services, visit www.nhsinform.scot or see the self-help guides here.

A range of patient information on many health conditions is available from:

  • www.patient.info – featuring helpful factsheets on lots of conditions.
  • HeathTalk Online – features videos of adults and young adults talking about specific conditions.
  • Youth HealthTalk Online – features videos of young people talking about their experiences of accessing health services and about specific conditions

For advice and information about children who are unwell (‘When Should I Worry?’), click the image on the right.

A to Z of Where to Get Help

A

Advocacy & financial/benefits help

Alcohol & drug addiction

Asthma

B

Blue badge

Bowel screening

Bowel symptoms

C

Care package

Carer Support

Children & Pregnancy

Chiropody – see Podiatry

Counselling – see Mental health

D

Dental – NHS Inform directory of local dental services

Dizziness

Drug & alcohol addiction

E

Eye problems – your optician can be consulted for concerns about eyesight or about your eyes, including emergencies or concerns about eye infection.  Our local optician is Lindsay Opticians in Dunbar High Street.

F

Fear of Flying

H

Health Visitors

  • Can be contacted at Dunbar Medical Centre on 01368 861 447 or 01368 861 448.

M

Maternity/Midwife/Pregnancy

  • To access maternity services, simply call 0131 536 2009 and arrangements will be made for a booking appointment with the midwifery team.  A GP appointment is not necessary to refer yourself to this service.

Men’s Health

Mental health

If you are feeling suicidal, or at risk of harming yourself, the following helplines are able to help urgently:

  • Breathing Space – 0800 83 85 87 (weekdays 6pm-2am, weekends Friday 6pm to Monday 6am)
  • First Response (crisis support for patients in East Lothian) – 07966 526 452 and leave a message – messages will be picked up Mon-Fri between 11am and 1pm.
  • NHS24 – call 111
  • Samaritans – 116 123 – or email jo@samaritans.org
  • SHOUT – text SHOUT to 85258

Minor ailments

Minor injuries – find out more about the NHS Lothian Minor Injuries service

P

Physiotherapy

  • For all soft tissue/joint problems, you can self-refer to the Musculoskeletal Service by calling 0800 917 9390.
  • If you are self-employed or work for a company of less than 250 employees, and have a problem that is affecting your work, you can refer yourself to NHS Lothian Working Health Services by phoning 0131 537 9579.  They offer a waiting time of 10 days or less for physiotherapy and counselling.  During the coronavirus lockdown period, you can access physiotherapy services via a new phone service, available on 01620 642 968.

Podiatry

  • To request a podiatry service you can complete this form and return it to the podiatry department.

R

Riding for the disabled

  • Visit the Muirfield Riding Therapy website for information on free riding sessions.  Complete the form available on the website, speak to them directly, and if a GP form is required please discuss this with your GP.

S

Sexual health

Sleep

  • Sleep Scotland website or call 0800 138 6565 for phone/web advice for parents of children with difficulty sleeping.

Smoking

  • Quit Your Way Scotland website or call 0800 84 84 84 for advice on stopping smoking.
  • Your local pharmacy may be able to help too – including the prescribing of nicotine or other medication.

Social care

Suicide or Self Harm – see Mental Health

Symptom Diary – your GP may ask you to complete this to find out more about your symptoms.  You can download a copy here.

T

Termination of pregnancy

  • You can self-refer by calling the Chalmers Unit directly on 0131 536 2424 between 9am and 3pm Mon-Fri.  More information about this service is available here.

Travel advice & vaccinations

  • Travel advice is no longer provided by the practices at Dunbar Medical Centre as this is deemed a specialist area and is not an NHS GP service.
    • The first step in obtaining travel advice is to check your itinerary with www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk.
    • For personal or more specialist advice, we recommend that you seek advice from a specialist travel clinic.
    • If you need any of the NHS-provided vaccinations for travel (diptheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis A and typhoid) please fill in this form and return it to your practice reception.  One of our team will review your request, check your medical record for previous vaccinations and make contact to arrange for these to be provided.
    • For all other travel advice, and for the vaccinations that are not available from NHS GP services, you should contact a specialist travel clinic.
    • There are are some not-for-profit Lothian clinics which can give travel advice and provide non-NHS vaccines:
    • These are some nearby private clinics (however we don’t recommend any particular clinic, and others are available):

U

Urinary tract infection

  • Your local pharmacy may be able to quickly assess and treat your urine infection if you are an adult with no complicating medical problems.

W

Walking aids

Working Health Services

  • Working Health Services offer physiotherapy, counselling and input, for people who are self-employed or work in a company of up to 250 employees.  They aim for waiting times of 10 days or less.  You can find out more about the services they offer from the link above or call 0131 537 9579.  You can refer yourself to their team without a GP referral.

Dunbar Medical Centre, Queens Road, Dunbar, EH42 1EE