NHS Western Isles services update

Due to current sustained demand across the Health and Social care system, NHS Western Isles, in its efforts to respond effectively to urgent, cancer and unplanned care, has taken the difficult decision to continue to postpone non-urgent planned care episodes and appointments. Care and services for a temporary period will focus on and prioritise those who are most unwell and requiring urgent care.   

Areas where rescheduling is necessary include Outpatient Clinics, and some planned surgery. This decision will be reassessed at the end of January.  

Patients affected, whose care will be rescheduled, will be contacted individually to advise them of any changes to their appointments. If you have an appointment and are not contacted to reschedule, your appointment will go ahead as planned.   

NHS Western Isles Chief Executive Gordon Jamieson said: “Pressure on our services at present is significant and current projections suggest that this demand will continue and increase further over the coming weeks.   

“It was therefore necessary to continue to protect our urgent, unplanned and cancer care services and ensure that those who are most unwell receive the services that they need. This was a reluctant decision but unfortunately necessary in the present circumstances.   

“We will resume normal service delivery as soon as possible and would apologise sincerely to anyone that this decision will affect. We know that the decision to extend the postponement of non-urgent procedures and appointments will come as a significant disappointment to some of our patients who are waiting for treatment or a procedure. What we can assure is that we will resume full service delivery as soon as we consider that it is safe to do so, and this will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.”  

NHS Western Isles would reiterate the plea to our communities to ensure that they are mindful of how they use NHS services, in particular using our Emergency Departments (ED) appropriately. Individuals should only attend the ED for conditions that are life threatening.  

Unless your condition is critical, please do not attend an Emergency Department, as you will be directed to another service. If in doubt, please visit NHS Inform www.nhsinform.scot  or call NHS24 on 111, both in and out of hours. Your GP Practice also remains open during the day for any urgent care needs.