Non-urgent advice: Website Updated
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Latest Updates
GP Practices System Upgrades – Emergency Appointments Only
From week commencing 20 June, we will begin our system upgrades to all GP Practices across Orkney. This programme of upgrades will take place across summer with each practice being affected for a minimum of two days. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the timetable for your practice in the notice below. These times may be subject to change and we’ll do our best to ensure they are updated and are as accurate as possible.
Read more detailsNew MenB Vaccine programme
Following recent outbreaks of meningitis in the UK, the MenB vaccine is being offered to some older teenagers and students under 25 who are at higher risk of exposure to meningococcal group B bacteria. This time-limited programme will be offered to some older teenagers and some new college and university students who are at higher risk of exposure to meningococcal group B bacteria.
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Latest News
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National Waiting List Validation – Patients Waiting Over 10 Weeks
From next week, Monday 27 July, patients (who are over 16 years old) who have been waiting over 10 weeks for an outpatient or inpatient appointment or who are a return patient waiting past their recall date and who do not currently have an appointment in the following specialities will be contacted by The National Elective Coordination Unit (NECU) on 0345 646 0565: Patients with a mobile number will receive a text message first. If no response is received from the text message, the NECU team will follow-up with phone calls. Patients who only have a landline number, registered with…
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Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) publishes inspection report on acute hospital services at The Balfour highlighting compassionate patient care, strong teamwork, supportive leadership and a positive culture across NHS Orkney
The unannounced inspection, undertaken in March 2026, examined care within the Emergency Department, Inpatients 1 and Inpatients 2 wards. Inspectors identified eight areas of good practice and recognised the commitment of staff in delivering safe, effective and person-centred care despite the challenges faced by remote and rural health services. Highlights include: The inspection identified seven requirements relating to governance processes, training compliance, adverse event review timescales, protected leadership time and the further embedding of new workforce planning systems. NHS Orkney has agreed an action plan and work is already underway in these areas. The report notes ongoing improvement work including…
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Funding confirmed to keep MRI scanner at The Balfour
NHS Orkney has received confirmation from the Scottish Government of recurring annual funding to keep the MRI scanner at The Balfour and to continue providing MRI scanning locally in Orkney. The Balfour has hosted an on-site MRI service, using a relocatable scanner, since July 2025. This latest confirmation extends funding on a recurring basis, replacing an earlier award that covered only the first quarter of this financial year. The service allows the majority of patients to be scanned locally each year rather than travelling to Aberdeen and supports NHS Orkney’s work towards the national six-week standard for diagnostic tests. Use…