Due to the rare Red Alert in place tomorrow (January 24 2025), NHS Lothian has taken the difficult decision to cancel all routine, non-urgent planned procedures and the majority of hospital outpatient appointments to help protect our patients and staff.
Emergency and urgent elective procedures and some urgent outpatient appointments will still go ahead and urgent cancer treatment and surgery will be prioritised, as well as renal dialysis and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT).
Patients do not need to call to check if their appointment will go-ahead.
Patients will be contacted in advance if their case is considered urgent and arrangements will be made directly with them.
Vaccination appointments will be postponed and clinics will be closed. Patients will be contacted by the vaccination teams as soon as possible to reschedule.
These decisions do not include community services. Please contact your local health centre or GP surgery to find out whether the adverse weather has affected your appointment.
Professor Caroline Hiscox, Chief Executive, NHS Lothian, said: “We apologise to the patients affected by these cancellations and will contact them to arrange alternative appointments as soon as possible.
“Teams across Lothian have helped put robust plans in place to ensure that urgent and emergency care is still available and we are grateful to them for their dedication and resilience.”
NHS Lothian has urged the public to use the NHS wisely over the coming days and make full use of NHS 24, nearby pharmacies and the self-help guides at www.nhsinform.scot or on the app.
NHS Inform is the first stop for self-care and advice, while local pharmacies, GP, or Minor Injuries Unit can provide expert care and treatment, usually closer to home. If patients are unsure where to get help or if they need urgent health care at night or at the weekends, they should call 111 day or night.
In Lothian, patients may be signposted on to other services if they turn up to hospital A&E when their condition is not critical and their care can be properly provided by a different service.
