News

NHS Western Isles would like to reassure patients needing to travel for essential hospital appointments on the mainland that every effort will be made to ensure they can attend appointments as planned.

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) has taken the decision to close all HIAL airports to scheduled and routine air traffic with effect from Sunday (March 29), in response to the strict measures announced by the UK and Scottish Governments on Monday.

However, in recognition of the unique role that it plays in providing lifeline services for local communities, HIAL has worked with Transport Scotland and Loganair to agree a skeleton schedule that will ensure that airports continue to provide essential services, including NHS passenger transfer and transport for essential key workers, such as visiting consultants. All other services will cease from 30 March until further notice.

A limited timetable will run for Glasgow-Benbecula, Glasgow-Stornoway and Stornoway-Benbecula. Royal Mail charter flights to the islands will continue.

In terms of travel by ferry, CalMac has introduced an Essential Lifeline Timetable as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The new reduced timetable will run for an initial three-week period. It will be subject to continual review in a rapidly changing environment.

Essential travel will continue, and this includes patients travelling to hospital on the mainland for appointments. With the suspension of the flight to Inverness, this ferry option will be vital for patients receiving essential treatment/attending urgent appointments in Raigmore Hospital in particular.

NHS Western Isles appreciates the ongoing support from these organisations to ensure essential and lifeline services are available.

We also recognise some of these changes will be extremely disruptive and upsetting for our patients, in particular where ferry/taxi travel is the only option available for appointments in Inverness, but we would like to assure patients that we will endeavour to assist them in any way that we can at this very difficult time. Please contact your local patient travel office if you have any questions or concerns:

Lewis & Harris Patient Travel Office
Tel: 01851 708021
Email: patienttravel.wihb@nhs.net

Uist Patient Travel Office
Tel: 01870 603606
Email: patienttravel.uist@nhs.net

Barra Patient Travel Office
Tel: 01871 810431
Email: patient.travel@cne-siar.gov.uk