Travel Vaccinations and Services
A specialist travel clinic service for Lothian runs from the Regional Infectious Diseases Unit (RIDU), with additional community spokes available in Edinburgh, East, West and Mid-Lothian (Midlothian clinics are under development).
Patients can self-refer to travel clinics for a full assessment, consultation, and vaccination services, which are appointment only.
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 of vaccines covered by the travel clinic service.
For a full list of services and booking information please see NHS Lothian’s travel clinic website; Tel: 0131 537 2823
There is more detail on the Resources and Links page.
Travel Clinic Sites
- Western General Hospital, Crewe Rd S, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sun)
- Edinburgh:
- Sighthill Health Centre, 380 Calder Rd, Edinburgh, EH11 4AU (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur)
- Mountcastle Health Centre, Milton Surgery, 132 Mountcastle Dr S, Edinburgh, EH15 3LL (Tue, Wed, Thur)
- West Lothian:
- Strathbrock Partnership Centre, 189A W Main St, Broxburn, EH52 5LH (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur)
- East Lothian:
- East Lothian Community Hospital, Alderston Rd, Haddington, EH41 3PF (Wed, Fri)
- Midlothian:
- Midlothian Community Hospital, 70 Eskbank Rd, Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith, EH22 3ND (Tuesday).
Contact number for all travel clinics: 0131 537 2823.
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 on the Vaccination Services pages or see 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.
