NHS Shetland Walk-In Clinic

A walk-in clinic and vaccination centre is available at Grantfield in Lerwick. 

This is a pilot service run by NHS Shetland and is one of a number of GP walk-in services being piloted across Scotland to trial improvements for access to urgent primary care. 

Current opening times:

New update 

NHS Shetland is advising patients that improvement works will take place at the Walk-In Clinic at Grantfield during September. The works will take place over three weekends, with the Walk-In Clinic temporarily relocating to the Outpatients Department at Gilbert Bain Hospital during this period. 

• The Walk-In Clinic will operate at Grantfield as usual this Saturday 29 August and Sunday 30 August from 9am – 5pm.
• Services will continue to run at Grantfield from Monday 31 August until Thursday 3 September, from 5pm-8pm, however, the clinic will be closed on Friday 4 September. The Vaccination Team will operate from Grantfield until 5pm on Friday 4 September.  

During the works, the Walk-In Clinic will operate:

• From the Outpatients Department at the Gilbert Bain Hospital from 9am to 5pm on Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September. Evening clinics will also take place from Monday 7 September, from 5pm to 8pm. 
• The temporary clinic will continue to operate from the Outpatients Department over the following two weekends, Saturday 12 September and Sunday 13 September, and Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September, before reopening at  Grantfield on Tuesday 22 September.  

Following completion of the works, the service is expected to return to evening opening hours (5pm to 8pm) and weekend opening hours (9am to 5pm) that week.

Read the full press release here

Repeat prescriptions

Repeat prescriptions cannot be ordered at the Walk-In Clinic. Please request repeat prescriptions from your usual GP practice during the week. If you have run out of medication, speak to your local pharmacy about an emergency supply.

You may have to wait to be seen, depending on how busy the clinic is. The Walk-In Clinic operates as a drop-in service rather than an appointment system, and waiting times can be up to an hour.

The Walk-In Clinic service 

• From launch on Saturday 2 May, the service will operate 9am to 5pm (last drop-in slot 4.30pm) at weekends at the Grantfield site.
• In the coming months, weekday hours will be added, with the aim of piloting full opening hours of Monday to Friday from 12pm until 8pm and at weekends from 9am to 5pm.
• Please note that limited toilet facilities will be available until further building work is carried out later this year. Staff will be on hand to give support.

Who can use the service? 

Everyone, of all ages, including those people who are not registered with a practice in Shetland.  

The walk-in clinic is only suitable for urgent primary care. Read below to see what this means. The service is not for medical emergencies. 

How the service works 

Eligible patients can use the walk-in service if they have an urgent health concern and cannot attend their usual GP practice. 

It is open Saturday and Sunday 9am – 5pm (last drop-in slot 4.30pm) – no appointment needed. 

Depending on clinical need, you may see a GP or Advanced Nurse Practitioner. 

What can the service be used for? 

• New pain, rashes or fever 

• New coughs, throat, ear or chest infections 

• Urgent bladder or urinary symptoms 

• Urgent women’s health issues (e.g. infections or period-related problems) 

• Urgent skin conditions (e.g. infections, eczema) 

• New stomach problems 

• New muscle, joint or back pain 

This service is not for: 

• Medical emergencies (e.g. chest pain, severe bleeding or severe breathing difficulties – call 999)  
• Minor injuries (e.g. sprains, minor burns – call 111)  
• Minor injuries should be managed via NHS 111 - e.g. sprains, minor burns  
• Routine or planned care for long term conditions without acute change  
• Repeat prescriptions, medication reviews or fit notes (also known as sick notes)  
• Routine sexual health screening where this can safely wait for scheduled services   
• Other services you would receive from your health centre or specialist care 
• Vaccinations

If you attend with a condition that is not urgent or is better treated elsewhere, staff will redirect you to the most appropriate service.  

Get the right care in the right place 

You can often get help more quickly by: 

• Visiting NHSinform.scot for online advice on minor ailments and local services 

• Going to your local Pharmacy First for minor illnesses 

• Calling your dentist for dental problems and optician for eye problems 

• Contacting your GP practice for routine or urgent care during normal opening hours 

• Calling 111, day or night, for minor injuries and out-of-hours advice 

• Calling 999 or attending the Emergency Department in a critical emergency. 

More information is available at right care, right place