Drones 'potential solution' to medicine deliveries

NHS Western Isles says drones could be a potential solution to transporting treatments in the future

The potential for using drones to deliver medicines to the Western Isles is being explored by the islands' health board.

NHS Western Isles is looking at the technology as a possible future solution to how to get some types of treatments from mainland Scotland.

It said exploratory work into drones' potential was "progressing well".

NHS Highland has previously suggested using drones in the future to deliver supplies to GPs and hospitals.

NHS Western Isles' idea for using drones comes amid negotiations on deliveries of anti-cancer treatments on aircraft flights from Inverness Airport - although drones have not been suggested for these medicines.

It is understood the contractor involved in the flights is reviewing the cancer treatment delivery service due to operational costs and the relatively small numbers of deliveries making it "unsustainable".

The chemotherapy treatments supplied by NHS Highland are currently transported under a strict security regime due to the potentially highly toxic nature of the medicines.

'Safely and effectively'

NHS Western Isles had considered delivering the treatments by road and ferry but "this was not agreed to by NHS Highland unless there was no alternative", according a report to the islands health board.

NHS Western Isles said it was committed to providing as much care and treatment as it could "safely and effectively" in the isles.

But it said it had sought a "workable solution" to the future of flights of chemotherapy treatment from Inverness Airport, and bosses would be meeting the contractor over the next few weeks.

In a statement, the health board added: "Running in parallel, and looking to the future, is an initiative to fully explore the potential use of drones to transport items to the Western Isles.

"Exploratory work is progressing well, however, this is a medium term possibility in terms of becoming a reality."

Story provided by local democracy reporter Peter Urpeth.