Information
A specialist travel clinic service for Lothian runs from the Regional Infectious Diseases Unit (RIDU), with additional community spokes available in Edinburgh, East and West Lothian (Midlothian clinics are under development).
Patients can access full assessment and consultation alongside vaccine services for travel purposes.
Travel vaccines are considered as:
- free NHS vaccines (Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio, Cholera, where indicated by PHS (Public Health Scotland)
- further private vaccines and medications which may be required.
Please see Travax for the full itinerary.
Patients can self-refer to this service which is by appointment only.
More information can be found on the Resources and Links page, and at Travel Clinics – NHS Lothian | Our Services.
Advice about routine (‘scheduled’) vaccines can be found on the CTACS vaccination page.
Travel Clinic Sites
Edinburgh
- Western General Hospital (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sun)
- Sighthill (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur)
- Mountcastle (Tue, Wed, Thur)
West Lothian
- Strathbrock (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur)
East Lothian
- East Lothian Community Hospital (Wed, Fri)
Midlothian
- Coming soon.
For a full list of services and booking information please see NHS Lothian’s travel clinic website: https://weare.nhslothian.scot/travelclinics/
0131 537 2823
C.M & A.G 18-01-23
Patients can self-refer but attendance is by appointment only.
Who can refer:
Patients from across Lothian can now self-refer for an appointment either at the WGH or one of the travel spoke clinics, where they can receive their free NHS travel immunisations and access further private medications such as malaria tablets.
Who to refer:
Anyone going travelling abroad.
Who not to refer:
If a patient is eligible for a vaccination due to other risk factors (e.g. household contacts of Hepatitis B) or require a catch up of UK scheduled immunisations please refer to the appropriate service such as the community immunisation team Clinician Referral Page (Vaccination Referrals) (scot.nhs.uk) or Lothian Occupational Health Contact Us (scot.nhs.uk)
How to refer:
Self-referral by contacting 0131 537 2823.
Prior to referral it is useful to consider information:
Vaccination advice
The following travel vaccines are free on the NHS in Scotland:
- diphtheria, polio, and tetanus (combined booster)
- hepatitis A
- typhoid
- cholera
It is likely that you will have to pay for vaccines against:
- yellow fever
- Japanese encephalitis
- tick-borne encephalitis
- rabies
Additionally, you might have to pay for the following vaccines if they are only required for travel purposes:
- hepatitis B
- meningitis
- tuberculosis (TB)
More information can be found at Travel Clinics – NHS Lothian Our Services.
