Delivering new GP walk-in clinics

24 Feb 2026 12:07 PM

Total number of planned sites rises to 16.

Patients seeking access to GP-led care without an appointment are to benefit from a total of 16 planned centres across Scotland, the First Minister has announced.

Twelve new sites – from Stranraer to Shetland – have been confirmed, building on the opening of the first walk-in centre in Edinburgh on 11 February. 

A walk-in service in Lochee in Dundee will open in March, available seven days a week from 12pm-8pm, with no appointment necessary. Benbecula will also welcome walk-in patients from next month, seven days a week, 9am to 5.30pm, to complement the island’s existing out of hours provision which operates until 8pm and beyond.  

Additional sites in Shetland, Stranraer and Hawick will open in April and further centres, as part of the GP walk-in pilot, are scheduled to open later this year. A second stage of the roll-out will see the development of three further sites in premises on the high street or former retail sites in East Ayrshire, Clydesdale, and Central Fife.

During a visit to one of the sites in Lerwick, Shetland, First Minister John Swinney yesterday said:

“I committed to delivering 15 new walk-in GP centres and I am pleased that, not only will we now deliver an initial 16 sites, but many of these will be up and running in a matter of weeks.

“With centres open 12-8pm, seven days a week, and based in easily accessible locations in our communities across the country, this is part of a package addressing the 8am rush that has frustrated so many of us - easing capacity pressures on family doctors.  

“By establishing a series of walk-in clinics we can ensure people are seen by a clinician at a time that works for them. Our programme will help us deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments.

“This complements our £531 million landmark investment in core General Practice. With GP numbers up, long waits down and new walk-in GP clinics being tested across Scotland, it is clear we are making real progress in our NHS and I am determined to continue driving forward improvements.”

Background

• GP walk-ins will complement traditional General Practices and urgent care – bridging the gap between the two – to offer patients the opportunity to be assessed at clinics led by GPs and staffed by highly-skilled, multidisciplinary teams. Depending on clinical need, patients may see a GP or Advanced Nurse Practitioner or another health professional.
• This pilot scheme, which will be subject to full evaluation, is on top of a landmark £531 million investment in primary care which will see GP numbers increased across Scotland. During the pilot phase, the service is available to patients registered with local GP practices within the catchment of the identified sites.

Planned opening dates for GP walk-in centres

Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, NHS Lothian -  Opened on 11 February 2026

Lochee GP Practice, Dundee, NHS Tayside - 2 March 2026

Benbecula, NHS Western Isles - March

Stranraer, NHS Dumfries and Galloway - 14 April 2026

Lerwick, NHS Shetland – April

Hawick, NHS Borders – April

Invergordon, NHS Highland – May

Aberdeen City, NHS Grampian – May

Cardonald, Glasgow, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – June

Dunoon, NHS Highland – June

Moray, NHS Grampian - Summer

Aberdeenshire, NHS Grampian – Summer

Sauchie, Alloa, NHS Forth Valley - Summer

Phase Two

East Ayrshire, NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Clydesdale, NHS Lanarkshire

Central Fife, NHS Fife

These will be delivered subject to appropriate clinical governance, premise readiness and workforce arrangements planned for later in 26/27.