CHAT suspends "toxic" social media posts after NHS Highland backlash

A Caithness protest group accused of a "toxic" campaign against NHS Highland is suspending its social media posts.

Almost half of MFR listeners answering our Facebook poll believe Caithness Health Action Team are "demoralising" healthcare workers.

It came after Thurso doctor Alison Brooks launched a scathing attack yesterday, claiming: "When Caithness Health Action Team were set up, they did have some very good intentions, but I think they've gone completely out of control.

"There has been such a strong, passionate campaign. I've no doubt they're very passionate about their beliefs, but in doing so they are demoralising the current staff in the county.

"A lot of the nursing staff are feeling very undervalued. They're feeling that their work is under scrutiny.

"Some of them have voiced that they would leave the area, and there are other people who've said they wouldn't come to the area because of the toxic atmosphere that's here at the moment."

"We have nothing but admiration for all NHS staff across the county, and we have no intentions of attacking them" - RON GUNN, CHAT VICE CHAIR

CHAT's vice chair Ron Gunn responded yesterday: "We have a large following on social media. We are continually receiving messages, and we're basically just passing on what folk are telling us.

"If NHS Highland or MSPs don't like what the people are telling us, it's not really CHAT's fault.

"With Facebook, you can put something up on a post, and you've virtually no control over what other people's comments that come in. It can easily go away in a different direction.

"We're only trying to improve the health services across the county, and we're certainly not having a go at the staff.

"Certainly we have nothing but admiration for all NHS staff across the county, and we have no intentions of attacking them."

Last night, in a statement released on social media, CHAT said it won't 'publicise or comment on individual patient stories' before developing a social media policy.

Highland MSP John Finnie told MFR News: "We need a mature debate, and we need people to be respectful of each other on all sides of the arguments, but most of all for our valued NHS staff to go about their duties without being the subject of inappropriate comments.

"Public servants should be respected for the work they're doing, and supported in the work they're doing, and if everyone shows that respect, I don't think we're going to have problems. We might not resolve the bigger issues about health provision and the frustrations people have."