Another Highland hospital staff crisis to shutdown minor injuries

"This seems to be an endless tale of woe from NHS Highland" - Bill Fernie, CHAT

Thurso's Minor Injury Unit's shutting temporarily to patients overnight because another staffing crisis has hit the Highland hospital.

From December 23rd, people will have to call the out of hours doctor, because doors to The Dunbar's MIU will be shut between 7pm and 7am.

NHS Highland says the move's to make sure that the health board can keep the in-patient unit open.

Campaigner Bill Fernie from Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) told MFR News: "They don't seem to be doing well at hanging on to their staff.

"We have heard recently that there was nurse who came well-qualified and was only there a matter of weeks - but then resigned.

"There's something lacking there if that's one of the outcomes from their staff.

"The local community will be very disappointed that here is another service which NHS Highland have been unable to sustain, and that we at the far end of their area, bear the brunt once again.

"This seems to be an endless tale of woe from NHS Highland - recruitment just being one part of that."

Michelle Johnstone, NHS Highland’s north area manager, said: "Due to the escalating staffing pressures that we are experiencing, from the 23rd December we are only able to maintain the Minor Injury Unit from 7am to 7pm.

"After 7pm, the MIU service will be suspended but the Out of Hours service will continue to run.

"The Out of Hours service is contactable via NHS24 (111) where you will be triaged by an out of hours doctor."