Everyone’s hoping for a happy, healthy and safe festive season here in East Calder - but just in case, we’ve put together all the information you need about doctors, pharmacies and local council services over the Christmas and New Year period.

Medical

Your local GP practice will be closed for four days over Christmas (Saturday, December 24 to Tuesday, December 27) and four days over New Year (Saturday, December 31 to Tuesday, December 3).

To find your nearest GP practices, dentists, opticians and pharmacies, click here.

The Minor Injuries Clinic at the Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh will remain open seven days a week from 8.00am to 9.00pm and no appointment is necessary.

It is staffed by specialist practitioners and offers the following services:

• Treatment for a wide range of injuries, such as cuts, burns, sprains, and simple fractures for patients aged over one year
• Advice and health promotion is offered to all patients who attend
• Where appropriate / indicated: X-rays of limb injuries for patients aged 12 years and over, physiotherapy referrals, tetanus vaccination and simple analgesia

You can click here to see the map showing the location of the hospital.

Call the Minor Injuries Clinic on 0131 537 1330.

If you need medical advice when your GP practice is closed and cannot wait until your surgery is open please call:

• NHS 24
  08454 24 24 24
• Text phone users:18001 08454 24 24 24
• If English is not your first language and you need the assistance of a translator to access NHS 24, tell the person answering the call the language you speak. The call with then be linked as soon as possible to a translation service.

Lothian Unscheduled Care Service provides out-of hours medical services for all of Lothian, though these are not walk in centres.

You must phone NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24 where the nurse adviser, if necessary, will arrange for an appointment for you.

Depending on the outcome of the assessment by NHS 24 you will either be seen by appointment at one of five out-of-hours centres which are located across Lothian or when necessary, in your own home.

For more details about the service, click here.

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this winter can be found here or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

Support is also available for people with mental health or psychological problems by phoning Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or Breathing Space on 0800 83 8587 (6 pm to 2am).

In the event of any life threatening illness or injury, call 999.

Council services/winter weather

West Lothian Council’s Winter Ready West Lothian Campaign explains the steps that are being made in preparation for a severe winter this year and also explains how residents can help.

Residents can help by:

• Parking sensibly as abandoned vehicles cause problems for everyone
• Sharing information with neighbours and friends and looking out for vulnerable neighbours
• If you are able, clear the path and pavement in front of your home.
• Look out for the winter Bulletin and keep it handy

More information is available here.

Refuse collection and recycling

West Lothian Council is operating a restricted bin collection service on the public holidays Monday, December 26 and Tuesday, December 27; and Monday, January 2 and Tuesday, January 3.

Householders who normally have bin collections on a Monday or Tuesday are being asked to put their bins out as normal and leave their bins out until they are emptied.

Apart from these two days each week bin collections will operate normally.

For one month, there will be a brown bin collection from week starting Monday, January 2, for garden waste and real Christmas trees.

Please check the date on your calendar, please put the bin out on the correct day and leave it out until it is emptied. 

It is important to ensure that all decorations are removed from your real Christmas tree and it is cut up so that it fits into the bin with the lid closed.

Bulky uplifts collections are suspended between Friday, December 23 and Saturday, January 7. 

The last bulky uplift collections of 2011 will take place on Thursday, December 22. 

However, residents can still make advance bookings during the festive period for bulky uplifts - starting from Monday, January 9.

With the exception of Christmas Day and New Year's Day all Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) will be open throughout the festive period. 

For more information on the CRCs, click here. 

Merry Christmas and a happy new year from everyone here at s1!

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