Dave Thompson MSP

The action group from the north of Skye challenging NHS Highland’s plans for the redesign of its services in Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross says it remains sceptical of the proposals despite assurances issued at the weekend by the health board and Dave Thompson MSP.

A meeting in Portree on Saturday 10th January was attended by representatives of the Save Portree Hospital Group and NHS Highland as well as by Mr Thompson, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

He had called the meeting to hear concerns about the redesign being expressed from people in the north of Skye and how these might be addressed.

A wide-ranging discussion covered the consultation process, current out-of-hours arrangements, how the future detailed clinical requirements would be determined and the business case process going forward.

In December, the board of NHS Highland formally endorsed plans to develop a community hospital and resource centre in Broadford and a ‘spoke’ facility in Portree.

However, group members believe that the proposals will not meet the needs of the people of Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross as they stand, but especially residents of North Skye.

The group asked that it be made clear that under the new arrangements there would be no hospital in-patient beds in Portree, with a representative arguing that a facility couldn’t be called a hospital if it didn’t have beds.

Garry Coutts, chair of NHS Highland, confirmed that NHS Highland’s proposals would mean the closure of beds in Portree Hospital.

He explained: “All the in-patient (beds) care would be provided in the new facility in Broadford along with the necessary services such as medical, nursing and catering.  It is proposed that the hospital building in Portree would continue to be used as a clinic for out-patient services, minor injury unit, primary care emergency centre with the potential for day case activity to take place led by community and primary care team as well as a base for NHS Highland staff.

The group’s spokesperson told the meeting: “We are astonished that NHS Highland is proposing to close Portree Hospital and build a new one in Broadford before the detailed requirements for the provision of medical, health and social care have been gathered and assessed.

Although NHS Highland explained the required redesign process, the group insisted that it could not see how a strategic decision on the location of infrastructure could be made in advance of finding out the nature and extent of the services required and how these requirements might change in the future.

It was stressed at the meeting that the decision taken by the board in December was the first step in what would be a lengthy process and that the business case process is being followed as required.

The group’s spokesperson said: “We were pleased to learn that this is merely the start of a process that will take a further three to five years, and that during this time the medical, health and social care needs of the people of Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross would be investigated and developed into a list of requirements around which services will be designed.

He went on to say; “But if before we are not reassured we will be calling on the Scottish Government for an independent clinical review of medical, health and social care needs. This redesign of services will affect the people of the area for generations, so it has to be done right.

Mr Thompson commented: “NHS Highland’s representative explained that the detailed work on describing the clinical brief had still to take place. This will happen over the coming months and will bring together local clinicians, managers, service users and community representatives – and the group welcomed NHS Highland’s agreement that it could participate in the redesign process, would be provided with documents relating to it, as will be the case for all of the communities.

While Garry Coutts did not accept that the methods used for community engagement thus far have fallen short he said they would  be pleased to take on board any comments to make improvements from all of the stakeholders as they go into the next stage of the redesign process.

Mr Thompson concluded: “What I heard at the meeting was that what people were most concerned about was making sure that the new arrangements would bring better outcomes for people in North Skye and not a reduction in service, which is what they fear.”