Raasay residents raise concerns about medical cover

NHS Highland has suggested highlighting Raasay's strengths when re-advertising two nursing vacancies

Community leaders on Raasay have said lives could be lost due to the island being left without out-of-hours medical care for the fourth consecutive month.

More than 40 islanders attended a public meeting on Monday to make their views known to NHS Highland.

The health board has been unable to fill two local community nursing vacancies and has no budget for employing agency staff.

During this month, only three nights of cover have been provided.

Katherine Gillies, of Raasay Community Council, said: "All we need is one major incident here with no cover and that is one life that could be lost."

Another council member, Rebecca Mackay, said: "You're just very lucky that it is an island where there is very low activity, that we look after ourselves, that we are resilient, we look after our neighbours, we look after one another, we don't bother the nurse.

"We try to wait until the morning."

'Fantastic service'

Raasay, off the Isle of Skye, has 170 residents.

NHS Highland said it would work with the community to devise a better job description, emphasising Raasay's strengths, opportunities and quality of life, with a view to re-advertising the posts.

It also agreed to come back for a follow-up meeting next month.

Tracy Ligema, deputy director of operations for North and West NHS Highland, said: "It's hard to get staff who will live and work for years in an area and provide a fantastic service to the community.

"People simply aren't willing to do that any more."

Kate Earnshaw, NHS Highland district manager for Skye, Lochalsh and Western Ross, said the Nursing and Midwifery Council revalidation process, which will come into effect in 2016, will complicate recruitment.

She said: "It's about making sure that individuals maintain their skills and their competencies, and, you know, unfortunately the activity level on Raasay is very, very low, and it does mean that for staff coming over here, there is not a lot for them to keep their skills maintained."

'Appalling situation'

Mary Scanlon, the Scottish Conservatives MSP for the Highlands and Islands said: "Quite frankly, this is an appalling situation for patients and staff on the island of Raasay.

"We've known for some time that recruitment of medical staff is a problem across Scotland, but for such a remote area to be left without any out-of-hours medical care, is simply putting people's lives at risk.

"It's now time for the SNP government and NHS Highland to sort this problem out before things get out of hand.

"Given the £6m overspend at Raigmore Hospital, it is critical that this is not followed up by cuts to other services in our remote rural areas. "