Edinburgh Services

Due to ongoing coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) developments, we have taken the decision to suspend our in-person support and testing services across Scotland. That means our Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh offices will now be closed until further notice.

However, our residential support centre, Waverley Care Milestone, will remain open with a reduced service, taking no new admissions.

We will be continuing to provide support to people who need it by phone, text, and email, and through our live chat service.

Full information on the impact of coronavirus on our services is available here.

HIV and hepatitis C don’t discriminate. And we all have sexual health. That’s why our services are as diverse as the people we support.

If you need help with HIV, hepatitis C or sexual health in Edinburgh and the Lothians, we’re here to support you in whatever ways you need.

Our services are flexible to your needs and we can meet you at our office or, in a place that is comfortable for you. We offer a safe, welcoming environment where you can talk openly without judgement or stigma.

We offer a range of one to one support services across Edinburgh and the Lothians including:

• helping you cope with a new diagnosis, think positively about the future and understand treatment
• helping you to improve your mental health and wellbeing and empowering you to cope with life’s ups and downs in a safe, supportive environment 
• helping you to look after your physical health and wellbeing, manage HIV or hepatitis C treatment and access local complementary therapies
• helping you to set goals, learn new skills, and access training, employment and education
• supporting you with everyday activities such as getting to appointments, managing daily tasks and adhering to HIV or hepatitis C treatment
• how to talk to your family, friends and others about HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health
• Linking you up with other services that can help you live well with HIV and clear hepatitis C, such as housing, money management, immigration and asylum services
• dedicated one to one support for gay, bisexual and all men who have sex with men through our SX service

If you want to find out how we can support you or, to speak with a member of our team, get in touch. 

Disclosing or telling other people that you have HIV or hepatitis C can be a scary time for anyone. 

There’s a lot to think about, from figuring out who to tell, to thinking about how and when to tell them.

We’re here to support you every step of the way, using our 30 years experience to give you the advice and support you need throughout your journey. 

As part of this, our teams in Edinburgh and the Lothians can also support your family, friends and others to better understand HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health.

If you would like to find out how we can support you, your family, friends or others, get in touch with us for more information. 

We offer HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health advice to anyone living in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and can also provide advice on lots of topics related to these issues.  

Our three teams can support you with:

• how to cope with a new diagnosis, think positively about the future and understand treatment
• how to talk to family, friends and others about HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health
• how HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health can impact on your mental health and wellbeing and, how to cope with life's ups and downs 
• how to take care of your physical health and wellbeing when living with HIV or hepatitis C
• understanding, managing and adhering to HIV and hepatitis C treatment 
• how to set goals and get involved in training, employment and education
• where to get additional support for issues related to HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health, such as housing, money management, addiction support, immigration and asylum services

Our teams can also provide you with specialist advice on:

• Faith, HIV and wellbeing 
• Sex, health and wellbeing for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men through our SX service

For more information or, to speak with a member of our team, get in touch. 

We offer HIV and hepatitis C dried blood spot testing to anyone who wants to know their status in Edinburgh and the Lothians. 

We also provide HIV rapid tests for:

• people from African communities
• gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men through our SX service

Getting tested is quick and painless, and is available for free. If you’ve got any worries or concerns you can read our guides to HIV testing here and hepatitis C testing here. 

If you're thinking about getting an HIV or hepatitis C test, you can speak with a member of our team to find out what options you have available. Get in touch. 

We offer a daily appointment only testing clinic at our office in Edinburgh.

This is where you can get an HIV and hepatitis C dried blood spot test or, a rapid HIV test.

• If you want to get a test, call us on 0131 558 1425 to arrange an appointment or, get in touch with our Edinburgh teams here. This service is free and confidential for anyone living in Edinburgh. 

We also offer a weekly testing clinic for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men through our SX service, in partnership with the NHS ROAM team. 

This is where you can get an HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea or chlamydia test, as well as free condoms, lube and vaccination against hepatitis A and B.

• If you want to get a test at this clinic, drop-in anytime every Tuesday from 2.30pm-4.30pm or 5pm-7.30pm.

For more information about this testing clinic, check out or SX website here.

Please note: all of our community testing services in Edinburgh are based at 3 Mansfield Place, EH3 6NB.

We offer a range of regular groups based at our offices in Edinburgh:

• Isis Women's Group - Weekly support group for women living with HIV
• Family Group - Weekly group for children and families living with or affected by HIV and hepatitis C
• Geek Club - for people who use our services to learn more about technology
• Lunch Club - a weekly lunch club for service users, based at Milestone
• Knitting Group - Weekly group where people can catch up for a blether and a coffee.
• Tartan Ribbon Community Choir - Our community choir 

If you would like to attend our groups, contact our Edinburgh office for more details. 

We offer a range of tailored training and awareness sessions for community groups and professionals across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

All of our training is free and we are happy to deliver sessions in the community or at our office.

Training and awareness session topics include:

• HIV and Hepatitis C Awareness
• Sexual Health Awareness
• GP and Medical Practitioner training
• Working with Churches and Faith Leaders
• HIV Peer Mentoring
• Hepatitis C Peer Mentoring
• Chemsex awareness through our SX service

If you're interested in arranging a training or awareness session, you can get in touch with us for more information.

Living with HIV or hepatitis C can affect just about every aspect of your life. Sometimes it’s good to talk to someone who can relate.

At Waverley Care, we can put you in touch with one of our peer mentors – trained volunteers who have lived experience of HIV or hepatitis C, who can help you work through some of the challenges you may be facing in your day-to-day life.

If you need support with HIV or hepatitis C, peer support can help you in a variety of ways including:

• Thinking positively about the future
• Disclosing you HIV or hepatitis C status to family, friends and others
• Increasing your confidence and self-esteem
• Feeling less isolated
• Living well with HIV or hepatitis C and managing treatment 

In Edinburgh and the Lothians, we offer the following kinds of peer support:

• Hepatitis C peer support over the phone
• Hepatitis C one-to-one peer support
• HIV peer support over the phone
• HIV peer support groups
• HIV one-to-one peer support

If you would like to access peer support or, become a Peer Mentor, get in touch with us for advice.

For 30 years, Waverley Care’s Children, Young People and Families project has supported people living with and affected by HIV and Hepatitis C.  We are a holistic service and are flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of children, young people and their parents and carers.

What we offer: Edinburgh and the Lothians

One-to-one support for:

• children
• young people
• parents and carers

One-to-one support at home and in the community around a wide range of issues, including emotional support, relationships, support in accessing benefits and housing and sign posting to other appropriate organisations.

Group support:

• children
• young people
• parents and carers

Weekly Friday Family Group, 1-3pm: 

A chance to meet with other parents/carers to get peer support, share parenting skills and talk. Children can meet others in a similar situation to themselves and learn through play.

Holiday activities throughout the February, Easter, Summer and October breaks:

• February – 2 days of activities for children aged 6-12.  One family day, babies and toddlers are welcome
• Easter – 2 days per week of activities for children aged 6-12. One family day per week, babies and toddlers are welcome
• Summer – 2 days per weeks over three weeks of activities for children aged 6-12. One family day per week over three weeks, babies and toddlers are welcome
• October - 2 days of activities for children aged 6-12.  One family day, babies and toddlers are welcome

Respite holidays:

• Yearly respite holiday for children aged 6-12 affected by HIV and Hepatitis C
• Yearly respite holiday for young people aged 12 – 18 living with HIV

Formula Feed:   

Free infant formula for mums living with HIV and confidential one-to-one support.

New mums who are living with HIV are encouraged to bottle feed their babies to reduce the risk of passing on HIV. We know that this comes with financial and social pressures and are here to help.

Free infant formula and equipment:

• 4 tins of formula a month, for the first year of the baby’s life
• Free bottles and sterilizing equipment
• Flexible collection and delivery options

National Project for children, young people and families living with HIV

One-to-one support for:

• children
• young people
• parents and carers

One-to-one support at home and in the community around a wide range of issues, including emotional support, relationships, support in accessing benefits and housing and sign posting to other appropriate organisations.

Group support: 

• Monthly support group for children and young people across Scotland living with HIV

Self Management Project for 19 – 30 year old living with HIV

• Monthly information and peer support sessions

Support and advice for professional who are working with families living with and affected by HIV and Hepatitis C.

For further information, please contact Nichola Frith, Nichola.Frith@waverleycare.org or Lynne Williamson, Lynne.Williamson@waverleycare.org or phone 0131 558 1425

If you're an HIV positive Mum, we'll support you throughout your pregnancy journey.  

Post-birth, we'll continue to be there to support you. We'll help you access to any information you might need - as well as making sure you have a supply of milk for babies up to one year.

Are you eligible for our Infant Formula Feed Milk Programme?

To access our Infant Formula Milk Programme, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• HIV positive (non-means-tested - this means all HIV positive mothers can access this programme)
• Linked into the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Lothian and; reside in this area
• Be in the second trimester of your pregnancy or, have transferred into either of the clinics and, have a child who is under 12 months of age

What you need to know about being referred to our Infant Formula Feed Milk Programme:

You must be referred through the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Lothian, and your referral will be sent to our project worker at Waverley Care.

As part of the programme, we will supply you with the following equipment and products:

• A 12 months’ supply of free milk formula per child (in line with national and local infant nutrition guidelines and standards)
• A free starter pack will be provided at your first appointment, which includes:
  1. An electrical steamer steriliser
  2. 4 X 800g tins of formula milk of their choice
  3. 2 feeding bottles
  4. 1 cleaning brushes

We will provide you with a maximum of 4 tins of free milk formula every month until the child’s first birthday.

Please note: In case of any allergies, intolerances or other adverse problems with baby infant formula, you can consult with your health visitor to make sure the baby infant formula is right for your baby. Once you reach a decision with your health visitor, our project worker can be notified and they will then place new order for the change of milk formula.

For more information about this programme, contact Senior Community Projects worker Nicola Frith on 0131 558 1425. 

Do you have some spare time to help us smash stigma? Why not get involved in volunteering.

Every day, our amazing volunteers support our work in all sorts of ways, helping make a huge difference to people across Scotland affected by HIV and hepatitis C, and promoting good sexual health.

As if that wasn’t enough of a reason to get involved, volunteering also gives you the chance to gain new skills, get work experience and meet new people.

You can find out more about volunteering with us here, including information about how to apply here. 

In Edinburgh and the Lothians, we offer a range of opportunities for you to get involved in volunteering, including:

• Reception Volunteers - Volunteers help to ensure that reception runs efficiently, welcoming visitors and helping them feel comfortable. You’ll be responsible for managing the switchboard and taking messages as well as helping out with general administration tasks.
• Befriending - Befrienders offer one-to-one, community-based support to people living with HIV or hepatitis C, helping to reduce the isolation and discrimination they face through a mixture of social and emotional support. Befriending volunteers offer on average 2hrs support a week to the person they are matched with. The amount of time is flexible, so it’s a volunteer role that can fit around your other commitments.
• Outreach - Opportunites to help the delivery of HIV and hepatitis C prevention messages and distributing condoms in community settings, as well as supporting community events.
• Group Support - Group support volunteers spend a few hours each week being involved in one of our support groups. This involves being part of the group, chatting to people, making sure the space is safe and confidential and getting involved with the planning and delivering of the group activities and events. This role requires a long-term commitment.
• Peer Support and Peer Mentoring - Peer Mentors are individuals who are living with HIV or hepatitis C, or who have cleared hepatitis C, who are able to use their experience to support others. Support is provided face-to-face or over the phone. Specific training is provided for this role.  
• Complementary Therapists - We have volunteers who offer complementary therapies on a weekly basis. Many of our service users benefit from the opportunity to relax and improve their wellbeing. Applications from therapists are welcome.
• SX – Health and wellbeing for gay and bisexual men - SX Scotland is our dedicated health and wellbeing service for gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men. The team provide a series of specific volunteering opportunities and you can find our more by visiting the SX website
• Gardening - Our residential support centre, Milestone, has attractive gardens which provide service users a peaceful area where they can relax and feel safe. Volunteers help to maintain the garden for residents through light gardening work such as weeding, planting and pruning. We have various ongoing gardening projects for teams to get involved in.
• Fundraising - Our work is only possible thanks to the generosity of supporters across Scotland. We have lots of opportunities for volunteers to get involved in fundraising, from bucket collections and sponsorship to helping out at events and administrative tasks. If you’re interested in volunteering in fundraising, find out more here or get in touch with the team on 0131 556 9710.

Get in touch:

T: 0131 558 1425

For general queries, email: info@waverleycare.org

Edinburgh and Lothian

3 Mansfield Place,
Edinburgh
EH3 6NB

T: 0131 558 1425

For general queries, email: info@waverleycare.org