Dave Thompson MSP

HIGHLANDS and Islands MSP Dave Thompson has expressed his disappointment at an announcement that plans to open a new dental surgery for the Isle of Skye have been postponed by NHS Highland but has welcomed the news that a new salaried NHS dentist has been recruited for Skye.

Although Mr Thompson was aware that all public services in Scotland have been hit by a £1.3 Billion reduction in Scotland's funding from Westminster, he was concerned to hear that plans for a badly-needed new dental facility on Skye have been mothballed by NHS Highland.

Mr Thompson and his staff have worked behind the scenes to remove potential obstacles to the establishment of the centre, such as a requirement to extend a bus service to the door of the centre, and had been reassured to learn recently that design work was nearing completion and that the purchase of the land for the centre at Bayfield would be completed before the end of March as funding for these elements were in place.

However news that, even with the project's advanced state of preparedness, NHS Highland had decided not to include it in their programme of capital expenditure for the next 12 months came as a shock to the Nationalist MSP.

"The Scottish Government made clear to NHS Highland that it would receive £13 million for capital projects after the pledge that Scotland's NHS budget would receive every penny of the Barnett consequential to match our NHS spending to levels imposed on the rest of the UK by the Lib/Con coalition at Westminster.

"A £1.3 Billion reduction in Scotland's budget from Westminster means that these are difficult times for all public bodies and all are trying to cut their cloth and live within their means but all that is needed to complete this much-needed facility on Skye is less than one million pounds so I plan to speak to the Cabinet Secretary to see if there is any way this can be funded either from within NHS Highland's budget or from other funds."

But on a more positive note, Mr Thompson was delighted to hear that NHS Highland had been successful in recruiting a new salaried NHS dentist to work on the island from the end of April.

"I am told this is a Scottish dentist who has been working in Spain and is now keen to live on Skye," the SNP politician said.

"That fondness for Skye is vital because one of the most frustrating things health managers find is that many of the specialist medical staff they need to recruit seem to have a fear of what lies beyond the metropolitan areas of our country.

"Well I can tell them what they will find if they look outside the towns and cities - a beautiful countryside which offers an unrivalled lifestyle and environment and a warm welcome ."