Evening opening hours are being introduced at the NHS Shetland Walk-In Clinic at Grantfield as the pilot service continues to expand.
From Monday 10 August, the clinic will be open 5pm to 8pm on weekdays, in addition to its existing 9am to 5pm weekend service. Please do not attend before 5pm on weekdays.
Additional weekday opening hours will be introduced in the coming months as the pilot develops.
A programme of improvement works is also planned for early autumn to further enhance clinical capacity and the patient experience at the Grantfield location. Further updates will be shared ahead of these changes.
The Vaccination Team continues to operate during the week in the same location, so patients attending the Walk-In Clinic should only arrive during the advertised Walk-In Clinic opening hours. Please refer to the website for more information - Vaccinations – NHS Shetland
During the pilot, opening days and times may occasionally vary. Patients are encouraged to check the NHS Shetland website and social media channels for the latest opening information.
Since opening in May, the Walk-In Clinic has seen an average of around 45 patients each weekend, with most patients being seen within 30 minutes.
Dr Deepa Shah said: "Since opening in May, we've received very positive feedback from patients using the Walk-In Clinic. We've also welcomed an average of 45 people each weekend, demonstrating the demand for this service and the important role it is already playing in providing access to urgent care at different times.
"As part of our phased approach to introducing a service across the week, we're pleased to begin weekday evening opening from 5pm to 8pm. The service will operate in the same way as it does at weekends, providing assessment and treatment for urgent, non-life-threatening conditions.
"We'll continue to listen to patient feedback as we evaluate and develop the service to ensure it meets the needs of our communities.
"There may be occasions when we need to adjust opening hours to reflect available staffing, but we'll communicate any changes as early as possible.
"I'd like to thank everyone in our community for their continued support as we continue to develop and improve this new service."
The Walk-In Clinic is available to everyone in Shetland, including people who are not registered with a local GP practice. Visitors to Shetland can also use the service.
Patients can attend the clinic for same-day assessment of urgent, non-life-threatening conditions that would normally be managed in primary care. This includes new or acute symptoms such as pain, rashes, fever and infections.
The service is not intended for emergency care, ongoing management of long-term conditions, repeat prescriptions, medication reviews, minor injuries, administrative requests or specialist care. Patients whose needs fall outside the scope of the service will be directed to the most appropriate healthcare service.
Patients attending the clinic may be seen by either a GP or an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
Further details about the Walk-In Clinic are available at:
NHS Shetland Walk-In Clinic – NHS Shetland