Temporary Registration
Practice opening hours/making contact with us
The practice is open Monday to Friday from 8.30a.m. to 6.00 p.m. daily although we are closed each Wednesday from 12.30pm – 2pm for staff training. If you need to see a doctor or nurse whilst on holiday, then we prefer you to phone us on 01856 888240.
Out with normal working hours, the surgery will be closed and you will need to make contact through our out of hour’s service. You can do this by calling 111.
Practice Area
Our practice area is agreed with NHS Orkney. We will try to accommodate temporary residents who are on holiday within this boundary. If you are staying outside of our practice area we will advise you where your nearest GP practice is.
Appointments / Triage System
Please be aware that you will need to fill in a temporary registration form either in person or over the phone before we can treat you or prescribe any medication. For this we will need to know your usual home address and the name, address and telephone number of the GP practice you are registered with permanently. We will also need the full address of your accommodation in Orkney.
As with most medical practices, we would urge you to make contact with us as soon as possible on the day you feel you need attention if at all possible. The later in the day you contact us, the harder it is for us to offer you an appointment!
We request that all urgent appointment/visit and medication requests be made prior to 12pm in order for us to safely plan this work.
Our GP Triage system aims to prioritise patients who are unable to wait for a routine appointment by offering a review or a response to your issue by a GP on the same day.
Dental problems
We are unable (and untrained) to treat dental problems at our medical practice. You are advised to contact one of the services on the NHS inform website: NHS Orkney Public Dental Services
Eye problems
Clark's Optometrists is the only Optician on the island. They can see temporary patients and work with a triage system like ourselves, Therefore, they ask that you phone them as early in the day as possible on 01856 872857. Eye care is provided on the NHS free of charge for UK residents only. Please contact them for more information.
Minor Injuries
The nearest minor injuries unit is the Accident and Emergency department within The Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall. You will need to fill in a form there that includes the details of your usual home address and the name, address and telephone number of the GP practice you are registered with permanently. You will also need your passport or driving licence and, where applicable, Global or European Health Insurance Card, health insurance documentation and/or State ID card.
Emergency Prescription Requests
If you are visiting the area and require a supply of your usual medication, please see the information below:
Scottish Residents
Report to the local Community Pharmacy. An emergency supply may be issued to a maximum of one full repeat cycle at the Pharmacist’s discretion. The Pharmacist may ask you to contact your regular GP surgery to confirm your details. There will be no charge for this service.
UK Residents (out with Scotland)
Report to the local Community Pharmacy. An emergency supply may be issued for up to 30 days at the Pharmacist’s discretion. The Pharmacist will need to see proof that this is a regular medication that has been prescribed within the last 6 months. There will be a charge for this.
EU & Swiss Residents (out with UK)
Report to the local Community Pharmacy. An emergency supply may be issued for up to 30 days at the Pharmacist’s discretion. There will be a charge for this.
Residents out with the EU & Switzerland
You will need to register as a temporary patient with the local GP surgery. You will need to wait for an available GP appointment. A private prescription may be issued at the GP’s discretion. You will need to present the prescription to the local Community Pharmacy for dispensing. There will be a charge at the Community Pharmacy for the prescribed item.
If you need to see a GP for any repeat medication and do not have proof of your medication our doctors will insist on making contact with your own doctor and you should expect a longer processing time.
Please note that if you require certain drugs including controlled medications, strong pain killers, benzodiazepines etc. you will need a prescription from a GP. In these situations, we cannot guarantee that we will issue a prescription and our doctors’ decision in such circumstances is final.
The details of all community pharmacies in Orkney is available here
For more detailed information please read this NHS Inform factsheet on Healthcare in Scotland for holiday makers from overseas