Raigmore Hospital.
Hospital plea as pressure grows on waiting times
“Very busy” scenes at Highland hospitals on Monday sparked a plea for anyone with non life or limb-threatening injuries to call NHS24 instead of visiting their local A&E. Also this week it was revealed that almost 60,000 Highland patients have waited more than four hours in A&E since the last time the Scottish Government’s four-hour target was hit over four years ago.
“NHS Highland – employ more staff and expand the departments. Turning folk away is just asking for trouble.” – Emma Mitchell
“Emma Mitchell, to be fair, the NHS board have their hands completely tied by the Scottish Government. They know what is needed, facilities and staff for it, but it’s the government who control the funding they receive, so they can’t build without funding being released centrally.” – Tiffer Forbes
“Highlands is the largest geographical area in Scotland and UK. We have less resources funding due to population. What happens during the summer holidays when Inverness/ Highlands population increases with visitors? Accidents happen and people sadly may be unwell and need hospital treatment. Raigmore Hospital is the main point of treatment. Along with other overstretched emergency services – Police Scotland Highland and Islands , Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance – SCAA and others.” – Isabelle MacKenzie
“In Spain, our public health system has 24-hour outpatients healthcare centres that provide non-hospital emergency care. It is designed to handle less severe or non life threatening cases that still require urgent attention, such as minor injuries, infections or sudden but not critical illnesses. This relieves pressure on hospital emergency departments as it absorbs part of the patient flow. In a city with same population as Inverness there are from two to four of them, 24 hours. The fact you need to make a phone call to be ‘seen’ by a doctor is completely ridiculous.” – Ruben Jarramplas
“The planners never think about the supporting infrastructure when approving plans for new homes!” – Julie Harper
“I would have thought that the NTC (National Treatment Centre) would have taken some of the burden off A&E and helped to reduce waiting times. Having said that I just wonder what percentage of the numbers quoted are drink/drug related cases?” – Keith Alexander
“I have worked in A&E in the past and you would be shocked to see the silly things people go to A&E for. Being constipated for three days, having an ache in their finger, pain in their hips when they jump etc. These are all GP or pharmacy visits and a lot of these people are the ones waiting over four hours. They shouldn’t be there in the first place. I would love to see what the 60,000 had actually gone in with. I think you’ll find the majority of patients that need to be seen promptly, at risk of death or serious deterioration, are seen well within four hours. Of course mistakes have happened but context is important when they print stuff like this. We do need a bigger and more modern hospital with how much the population has grown by though. I’ve worked in other hospitals and they make some of Raigmore’s equipment and systems look antique.” – Ellie Gartside
“You may have to wait a long time in A&E anywhere as problems have to be triaged, with the most urgent taking priority. As someone who has attended for myself and with my husband, I can only say that on the three occasions we have been seen really quickly. I attended following an accident where I had a fall after swimming in winter. I dislocated my shoulder and fractured the head of humerus. I was taken in immediately.” – Janette Hannah
“I am not surprised people have to wait longer to be seen, considering the population in Inverness and surrounding areas have increased a lot. The staff do a great job!!! Also many more people attend A&E due to the fact they can’t get a doctor’s appointment.” – Audrey Lauder
“We need a new and bigger hospital in Inverness , think also staffing needs to be looked into as they’re really stretched. 100 per cent things need sorted, but with the current infrastructure and staffing it will be difficult.” – Bryan Stevens
“Waiting that long isn’t news to me. But what do you expect from a seriously understaffed hospital with limited services? Thank goodness we do have staff there considering their situation!” – Lottie M Lottie
“People are treated according to their clinical priority, not by who arrived first. And the more people who go because they cannot be seen by a GP the more people will have to wait.” – Ray Shields
“How many people in A&E don’t need to be at hospital? They can’t see GP and end up at A&E.” – Karen Shane
“Hospital is far too small and incapable of coping with all the people now living here, been saying for years that a new hospital desperately needs built.” – Sue Fisher
Heather Sheerin.
Tributes to ‘force of nature’
Tributes have been paid to well-known Inverness businesswoman Heather Sheerin, who has passed away. Helping run Sharon Leon Carpets she had a background in nursing and was also a key figure in a range of local groups.
“So sad, what a person, and a remarkable chair for NHS in Highland. Had a great relationship with her, always fair and always listened. She also saved the service a fortune with her outlook to what her role meant to the service. “ – Brian Houston
“A lovely tribute to a lovely lady full of positives, full of fun and full of ideas with the energy and capacity to turn them into action.” – Harriet Dempster
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