Skye hospital service gaps being tackled, says Gray

Health Secretary Neil Gray visited Portree Hospital on Monday

Health Secretary Neil Gray says the Scottish government is working with NHS Highland to maintain 24/7 urgent non-emergency care in north Skye.

Gray said the majority of improvements recommended by an independent review seven years ago had been met at Portree Community Hospital.

But he added issues around staff recruitment and retention had caused some inconsistencies and gaps in services.

Campaign group Skye SOS said further improvements were needed, including patients being able to turn up at the hospital and not have to call NHS 24 first.

Two emergency incidents in Portree in May last year put a spotlight on islanders' concerns about health services in north Skye.

A 49-year-old woman died after becoming unwell and another woman, Eilidh Beaton, was helped by coastguard and RNLI volunteers after she suffered a severe allergic reaction.

Ms Beaton become ill just a few hundred yards from Portree Community Hospital, but it was closed at the time.

Some of those who went to her aid tried to get help at the hospital, but could not get a response by banging on the locked doors.

Though both incidents were medical emergencies, campaigners said it highlighted a lack of progress in meeting recommended improvements in urgent non-emergency care at the community hospital.

Fay Thomson, of Skye SOS, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme on Monday there continued to be confusion over what was available in Portree.

She said: "The experience of people attending is that no-one really gets treated there because very often there aren't qualified advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) on site."

Ms Thomson said some patients were frustrated by having to make calls via NHS 24, and in some cases being redirected to Broadford Hospital, a two-hour journey from some parts of north Skye.

Gray, who visited Portree on Monday, said he understood that some islanders might not feel like improvements had been made.

He told BBC Scotland News: "We will continue to work with NHS Highland to do everything possible to get to the point of being able to meet those expectations of the local community, because I very much recognise their feelings."

The health secretary said more advanced nurse practitioners - nurses who have completed extra training and academic qualifications - were coming through the system.

He said: "We expect that will assist in providing greater consistency."

Gray said medical emergencies were handled by a different provision of care than was available at Portree.

He said he was confident there was Scottish Ambulance Service cover to deal with emergencies.

NHS Highland nurse director Louise Bussell said recruiting and retaining staff was always a challenge, and more work was needed at Portree.

She told BBC Naidheachdan: "We are in a good place, but we want to get to a better place."

Ms Bussell said a new team leader and ANPs had been successfully recruited to an "enthusiastic team" at Portree.

She said calling NHS 24 on 111 remained the safest option for patients so they could be directed to the right care and treatment.

"Ultimately, they might need 999 and emergency care, or could go to a pharmacist," she said.