Getting Around - Local information
Featured Local Information
Movement to help your muscles and joints
If you have any muscle, or joint issues as an adult you can find exercises to help you on the NHS Inform website here.
If these exercises do not help you please call 01620 642968 to speak to a physio about your muscle or joint issue.
Housing Options
This pdf file includes a guide to housing options for older people in Scotland. The guide includes useful information on buying a home, selling your home, renting a home and much more.
Local Suppliers
View a list of local equipment suppliers. The PDF includes the company name, address, contact details, and website (if available).
Dementia Friendly East Lothian
East Lothian’s Dementia Friendly Communities are wholly community-led and run.
Dementia Friendly East Lothian provides whatever support and encouragement communities need to help them realise their aspirations in whatever way we can.
Please log onto the website for information or to share information on your own dementia friendly events.
Dementia Friendly East Lothian website
Telecare
You can get help from the East Lothian Community Alarm Telecare Service.
Telecare Self-Check Online Tool
Telecare is the use of discreet equipment that can help tell someone if there is an emergency or if you are having difficulties in your home. Try the Telecare Self-Check Online Tool to find advice and guidance related to your needs.
Telecare Self-Check Online Tool
Home-visiting Opticians
The following PDF contains details on home-visiting opticians in East Lothian and the surrounding areas.
Wellbeing when off work
This leaflet is for anyone off work for reasons related to common mental health problems.
Getting Around - Local information
Disabled Persons Railcard
The Disabled Person's Railcard gives you discount of a third off the cost of your train ticket. For information about who is eligible and how to apply, please use the details below.
Contact information
Website: Disabled Person's Railcard
Email: disability@atoc.org
Phone: 0345 605 0525 (7am to 10pm Monday to Sunday)
Minicom/ text: 0345 601 0132
The National Entitlement Card (a free bus pass available if you are over 60 years of age or if you have a disability) also entitles you to reduced train travel rates (if eligible).
You must be a East Lothian resident and travelling from an East Lothian train station.
For further information on the eligibility criteria and for an application form, please call the Transport Concession Team using the following information.
Contact information
Phone: 01620 827974
Address: John Muir House, Haddington, East Lothian
Local information - Accessible taxis
For information about accessible taxis in East Lothian, please contact some of these wheelchair accessible taxi companies in East Lothian using the details below.
Contact information
Organisation: AC Taxis (Tranent)
Phone: 0131 665 5000
Organisation: Tartan Taxis (Tranent)
Phone: 01875 613171
Organisation: Colin's Cabs (Haddington)
Phone: 01620 825825
Organisation: JT Taxis (Haddington)
Phone: 01620 828 584
Organisation: Torrance Taxis (Dunbar)
Phone: 01368 862612
Organisation: Alba Taxis (Prestonpans)
Phone: 01875 815000
Handicabs also provide two options wheelchair accessible travel.
Dial-a-Ride provide a door-to-door transport service for people with limited mobility who are unable to use ordinary buses. In certain circumstances, they can provide transport for people who have limited access to public and/or private transport as well.
Dial-a-Ride is charged on a mileage basis at £3.75 for the first mile, plus 25p per mile up to 10 miles and plus 50p per mile over 10 miles. A return trip costs twice that of the outward one. Group bookings can also be made and any additional passengers pay a £1.50 flat fare when accompanying a full-fare passenger on the same journey.
Dial-a-Ride transport is wheelchair user friendly and the service operates seven days a week including evenings, subject to availability.
Please not that you need to register with Dial-a-Ride service before you book your first journey.
If you'd like to book a journey with dial-a-ride, please phone on 0131 447 9949.
Dial-a-Bus provides transport from home to local shopping centres for people who cannot manage by ordinary bus. The Service operates at least once a week from most areas in the Lothians and is also wheelchair friendly.
You will have between 1 to 2 hours at the shopping centre and then return home. The driver will take you and your shopping to your door if you need help and you may be able to get assistance with your shopping.
The fare for Dial-a-Bus is £1.25 each way. If you are unable to travel by yourself, you can bring an escort with you who will also travel at £1.25.
Dial-a-Bus operates Monday to Friday between 9.00am and 5.00pm.
Please note that you need to register with the Dial-a-Bus service before you book your first journey. You also have to book a place on the service for yourself and, if applicable, your escort.
To get in touch, please phone on 0131 447 1718.
Associated materials
Local information - Mental health and well-being service
CHANGES Community Health Project promotes the positive well-being of people living in East Lothian. If you feel you're not coping as well as you'd like and are looking for ways of moving forward, then CHANGES can help.
You can contact CHANGES Community Health Project by using the information below.
Contact information
Website: CHANGES
Email: info@changeschp.org.uk
Phone: 0131 653 3977
You can also contact your GP to discuss any feelings of stress, anxiety or low mood, and discuss a range of treatment options including referral to specialist services.
Local information - Rail travel made easy
If you would like assistance when making a journey, such as help getting on or off a train or ramps for a wheelchair, please contact the train company that manages the station you are starting your journey from.
In East Lothian this is Scot Rail. Please phone Scot Rail transport assistance on 0800 912 2901 to arrange for someone to help you at your designated station.
Please try to give a minimum of 24 hours notice before your journey, as this will allow time for any special arrangements to be made.
Local information - Specialist shoe suppliers
For useful advice on choosing footwear for problems like swollen feet, arthritis, diabetes, odd sized feet or cold feet, please contact Wide N Soft Footwear Ltd and Cosyfeet.
If you'd like to get in touch with them, please use the details below and ask for a mail order catalogue.
Contact information
Organisation: Wide N Soft Footwear Ltd
Phone: 01530 274778
Organisation: Cosyfeet
Phone: 01458 447275
Website: Cosyfeet
There is also a lot of information on foot care available on the NHS Lothain website, which you can visit by following the link www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/Community/EdinburghCHP/Services/Pages/Podiatry.
The Knowledge Network also provide useful information and advice about foot care. To find out more, please visit www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/home/portals-and-topics/personal-footcare.
If you have a problem with your feet that you cannot address with self-help, you can contact your doctor for medical advice.
East Lothian has podiatry clinics that you can refer yourself to, all you have to do is go to one of the clinics and fill out an application form. Alternatively, you can also download a form by visiting www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/Community/EastLothianCHP/Services/Pages/Podiatry. GPs or other health care professionals are also able to refer you to a clinic.
Below are the contact details for podiatry clinics in East Lothian.
Clinic: Dunbar M.C.
Address: Queens Road, Dunbar, EH42 1EE
Phone: 01368 861 419
Opening hours: Monday and Thursday
Clinic: Musselburgh Primary Care Centre
Address: Inveresk Road, Musselburgh, EH21 7BP
Phone: 0131 446 4018
Opening hours: daily
Clinic: North Berwick H.C.
Address: St Baldred’s Road, North Berwick, EH39 4PU
Phone: 01620 897 010
Opening hours: Thursday
Clinic: Roodlands
Address: Diabetic OPD, Haddington, EH41 3PF
Phone: 0131 536 8472
Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Clinic: Tranent H.C.
Address: Loch Road, Tranent, EH33 2JX
Phone: 01875 618 957
Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
Local information - Suggestion to contact Diabetes UK
Diabetes UK has a range of support groups and web links which provide a wide range of support and information to people with diabetes and their families. To find out more, please use the information below.
Contact information
Website: Diabetes UK Scotland
Email: scotland@diabetes.org.uk
Phone: 0141 245 6380
Address: The Venlaw, 349 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4AA
Website: Diabetes UK, the Edinburgh Group
For useful links to NHS leaflets about foot care for diabetics, please visit www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications.
Scottish Diabetes group may also be useful to you. If you'd like to find out more about them, please visit www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Groups.
Local Information on help with transport
Associated materials
Local information on specialist shoe suppliers
For useful advice on choosing footwear for problems like swollen feet, arthritis, diabetes, odd sized feet or cold feet, please phone Wide N Soft Footwear Ltd on 01530 274778 for a mail order catalogue. Alternatively, you can also contact Cosyfeet by visiting www.cosyfeet.com or phoning on 01458 447275.
There is also lots of information on foot care available on the NHS Lothian website, please visit www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/Community/EdinburghCHP/Services/Pages/Podiatry.
If you have a problem with your feet that you cannot address with self-help, you can contact your doctor for medical advice.
East Lothian has podiatry clinics that you can refer yourself for, simply fill out an application form that can be picked up from one of the clinics listed in the attached document. You can also download the form from the East Lothian website, by visiting www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/Community/EastLothianCHP/Services/Pages/Podiatry.
GPs or other health care professionals can also make referrals if they wish.
The Knowledge Network can also provide useful information. To find out more, please visit www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/home/portals-and-topics/personal-footcare.
Associated materials
Upwards and Onwards - What to do if you fall
The Upwards and Onwards film can be found on NHS Inform and explains several things to do with falling.
For example:
- How to get up from a fall.
- What to do if you can't get up.
- How to prevent falls.
You can either watch the whole film or a specific section.
Visit www.nhsinform.scot and search for 'What to do if you fall' to find the videos.
There is also a leaflet attached which describes how you can help someone if they fall.
Associated materials
Wheelchair taxi services
For information about accessible taxis in East Lothian, please contact some of these wheelchair accessible taxi companies in East Lothian:
AC Taxis - 0131 665 5000 (Tranent)
Tartan Taxis - 01875 613171 (Tranent)
Colin's Cabs - 01620 825825 (Haddington)
JT Taxis - 01620 828 584 (Haddington)
Torrance Taxis - 01368 862612 (Dunbar)
Alba Taxis - 01875 815000 (Prestonpans)
Handicabs provide two options for wheelchair accessible travel, details of which are below.
Dial-a-Ride provides a door-to-door transport service for people with limited mobility who are unable to use ordinary buses. In certain circumstances, they can also provide transport for people who have limited access to public and/or private transport.
Dial-a-Ride is charged on a mileage basis at £3.75 for the first mile, plus 25p per mile up to 10 miles and plus 50p per mile over 10 miles. A return trip costs twice that of the outward one. Group bookings can also be made and any additional passengers pay a £1.50 flat fare when accompanying a full-fare passenger on the same journey.
The Dial-a-Ride transport is wheelchair user friendly and the service operates seven days a week including evenings, subject to availability. You do, however. need to register with the service before you book your first journey.
To find out more, please get in touch by phoning on 0131 447 9949.
The Handicabs Dial-a-Bus service provides transport from home to local shopping centres for people who cannot manage by ordinary bus. When using the service, you will have between 1 to 2 hours at the shopping centre and will then return home. The driver will take you and your shopping to your door if you need help.
Fare for Dial-a-Bus is £1.25 each way and it operates Monday to Friday, 9.00am and 5.00pm. If you are unable to travel by yourself you may bring an escort with you who will also travel at £1.25.
Please not that before you can use the service you must first register by phoning 0131 447 1718.