Day: March 29, 2026

NHS Lothian: Building a modern travel health service

International travel has changed significantly over the past decade, increasing the need for accessible, high-quality travel health advice and vaccination services. In NHS Lothian, we have worked to develop a modern service that provides safe, comprehensive care before people travel abroad.

As part of Scotland’s Vaccination Transformation Programme, which came into effect in 2022, responsibility for travel vaccinations moved from GP practices to health boards. In Lothian, we used this opportunity not simply to replace the previous system, but to create a more comprehensive service.

Our model brings together NHS travel vaccinations, expert travel health advice, private vaccinations, antimalarial prescriptions and an individual travel health assessment in one place. Previously, many patients received NHS vaccines from their GP but then had to attend other providers for additional vaccines or malaria prevention. By offering a more holistic service, we can reduce the number of places patients need to visit and help them prepare more effectively for their travels.

A travel clinic has existed within the Regional Infectious Diseases Unit for more than three decades, but the service has expanded significantly in recent years. Activity has risen from around 1,600 new appointments each year to around 12,000 annually, reflecting both growing demand and the value patients place on a comprehensive service.

With such high demand on the service, we know that access to appointments has sometimes been challenging. We have listened carefully to feedback and introduced an online booking system to improve accessibility, although we recognise there have been some issues as the new system is being embedded. As an NHS service, our digital systems meet strict standards for IT governance and patient data protection.

Feedback from patients who attend the clinic has been extremely positive. Our team works incredibly hard to deliver high-quality care and expert advice, and we are proud of the service that has been built.

We also want people to know there are other travel health providers across Lothian. Most travel vaccines and antimalarial medicines are not funded by the NHS and can also be accessed privately through pharmacies and travel clinics. Travellers can also check in advance what they may need by visiting TravelHealthPro: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk

We want the NHS Lothian Travel Health Service to continue evolving so that we can provide accessible, high-quality and comprehensive care. We are grateful for the patience, support and feedback of the public as we continue to improve the service.

If you need to arrange an appointment with our Travel Clinic go to: 

https://services.nhslothian.scot/travelclinics/find-an-nhs-lothian-travel-clinic/ and select ‘Book Online’

Final piece of funding secured to transform Granton Lighthouse into arts and education hub

The balance of funding required to bring the historic Granton Lighthouse in the north of Edinburgh back to life and transform it into a community arts & education hub has been secured.

The Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Funding programme announced it is contributing the balance of the funding required (£2.278m) to complete the £4.171m funding package. The remainder of the budget will be made up of funding from the Heritage and Place Fund (£1.610m) with £0.283m also being provided by the Council.

The restoration project, part of the wider £1.3bn regeneration of the Granton Waterfront area, will transform the historic building once used as a place to teach lighthouse keepers their trade into a flexible, accessible modern workspace to be operated by Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust.

As part of its original use, the ‘C’ listed nineteenth century building, an important part of the built heritage of the Granton Waterfront area, was also used to test new illuminations for other lighthouses.

This historic building will be fully refurbished to create a learning, enterprise and exhibition/cafe space. As well as restoring some original features such as the lantern, the outside space will be transformed into a social space for people to sit and relax and enjoy some greenery. Disabled parking and cycle storage will also be provided.

A planning application to carry out the work has been submitted and work could start as early as next year.

Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “I’m delighted the funding is now in place to restore this historically significant building to be enjoyed by the local community for generations to come.

“The former lighthouse building is a strong visual reminder of the area’s history. It will now start a new chapter as it continues to be a place of learning and creativity as well as a focal point for the local community to meet.

“Arts and Education Trust Out of the Blue were selected as a suitable operator to lease the building following feedback from local people who told us they need a flexible, accessible work and events space for arts education.

“It’s also another great milestone reached for our £1.3bn regeneration of the wider area and follows our announcement at the end of last year that the Council had been successful in securing funding for this and several other heritage buildings.

“This includes funding to refurbish and restore structures such as Madelvic House, Granton Castle Walled Garden and the platforms in Granton Station Square, the latter of which are located beside the beautifully restored former Granton Station building.”