Clinics & Services
The Access Place General Information Leaflet
If you become a patient of The Access Place, you will be able to access the following health professionals and services:
GP Surgeries - Please call us to make an appointment with the doctor. We release a limited amount of slots at 9am for the morning and at 2pm for same day appointments. We will try and see you as soon as we can. If you cannot make your appointment, please let us know!
Practice Nurses - You do not always need an appointment to see a practice nurse, please ask at reception.
You can speak to a practice nurse for advice by calling the practice (the team will take your number and ask a nurse to call you back).
The practice nurses can offer support with any Long Term Condition you may have. They can also see you for clinical nursing issues such as
- Wound management
- Immunisations
- Sexual health screens
- Blood Borne Virus screen
- Dietary and nutritional advice
- Skin care
- Ear checks including syringing if needed
- Asthma checks and updates, COPD and spirometry checks
- ECGs as advised.
They can also support you with Stop Smoking, contraception advice, alcohol brief interventions, cervical smear updates or any other health question you may have.
Hep C and other Blood Borne Viruses Clinic – we have a weekly clinic for assessment, support and treatment of blood borne viruses. Please ask for further information.
Midwife and Health Visitor - Antenatal care and support during pregnancy is available on a Thursday afternoon at our women-only clinic If possible, let the Practice know before hand if you think you will attend and need to see the midwife or health visitor. Allowing for staff availability, the staff covering the clinic (GP, practice nurse, midwife and health visitor) will be female.
Mental Health Nurses - you can be referred to the Practice Mental Health Team by clinical staff at TAP. This service offers support from Nurses to assist you if you are experiencing mental health difficulties. In addition to this, support is provided with alcohol, drugs and other addictive substances.
Psychiatrist - A Psychiatrist attends TAP every week. Appointments to see the Psychiatrist need to be made through a Mental Health Nurse of a GP.
Clinical Psychology Service – You can access the Clinical Psychology service through referral by any member of the TAP clinical staff team. The service is available for the assessment of psychological and mental health difficulties and provides treatment in the form of psychological therapies, education and advice where appropriate.
Occupational Therapy - You can access the Occupational Therapy service through referral by any member of the TAP clinical staff team.
Recovery Clinic - We have a daily Recovery Clinic offering opiate replacement therapy to people who are opiate dependent. This clinic is by appointment only.
The Access Place Recovery Clinic Leaflet
The Access Place Recovery Clinic FAQs
Welfare Rights Officer (Benefits Advice) – can identify what benefits you may be entitled to and help with every aspect of claiming these benefits from initial applications to representation at appeals. Currently you can access this service by calling the practice on 0131 529 5015 and making an appointment with the Welfare Rights Office who is in the practice every Thursday. This service runs on Mondays and Thursdays
Interpreter & Translation Services - We have the facility to provide telephone access to a translator service for those whose first language is not English. In some cases, an interpreter can be arranged to accompany you to your appointment.
Transition Team - The Transition Team offer support to register with a new GP and access additional support when you are ready to move on from The Access Place
Community Link Worker - Our Community Link Worker offers non-medical support so that GPs and Nursing Staff have more time to deal with your medical issues. Support could be anything from: Help with benefits to setting up a new tenancy and sorting out utility bills, co-ordinating support networks and accompanying people to appointments
Housing - Housing officers carry out Homelessness and Support Assessments and may offer temporary accommodation and referrals to other services depending on the outcome of the assessment.
Social Work - Anyone currently experiencing homelessness has a right to request a Social Work Assessment. Please ask at Reception or contact us via the phone.
Nature Health Plan - There are lunches in The Access Place Garden, opportunities to get involved in developing the garden and walks
Visiting Services to EAP
- Podiatrist - First Monday of each month
Dental Clinics
'The Exchange' on Lady Lawson Street, 22-24 Spittal Street, Edinburgh EH3 9DU. 0131 537 8323.
Drop in: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12.30 - 4.00pm
For anyone who is drug dependent or registered homeless and who has difficulty accessing dental care.
Advice, emergency treatment and routine care provided in a relaxed and friendly environment.
Leith CTC Dental Clinic - Leith Community Treatment Centre, 2nd Floor 12 Junction Place, EH6 5JQ. Tel: 0131 536 6286
Drop in: Thursdays 09:45 - 15:00
Dental care for people experiencing homelessness.
Advice, emergency treatment and routine care provided in a relaxed and friendly environment.
Please note, drop-in appointments are first-come first served.
If the Spittal Street or Leith Clinics are full/closed, please visit Chalmers Dental Centre (EH3 9EW) or phone 0131 537 8801/8802 if you have an urgent dental problem.
Phone NHS24 on 111 if problems after 6pm or weekends.