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Working together to improve Orkney’s Health and Wellbeing – Radiography
April 2025 Working together to improve Orkney’s Health and Wellbeing Spotlight: Radiography This feature on our Radiography Service is the latest of our regular series of patient information updates to put the spotlight on clinical services at NHS Orkney. As an organisation, we want to share with you and be open and transparent about how we are addressing the challenges we face in supporting you. What do we do here in Orkney? Radiography sees almost all of NHS Orkney’s patients who come to The Balfour as outpatients, inpatients and through our Emergency Department (ED), and many of those who…
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May Day Public Holiday – Monday 5 May 2025
All GP surgeries will be closed on the May day Public Holiday – Monday 5 May, but in an emergency you can contact a GP in the same way as routine evening/weekend cover. If you are ill when your practice is closed and can’t wait until it reopens, you should call NHS 24 on 111. Please plan ahead and only order the medication you need to cover the May public holiday. You can find more helpful tips on NHS Inform https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/prepare-for-spring/ Community Pharmacy Arrangements on the Monday Public Holiday:
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iMatter update – Listening to and responding to your feedback – Message for NHS Orkney Staff
Message for all NHS Orkney staff Dear all iMatter update – Listening to and responding to your feedback As we get ready to run the iMatter survey this year we thought it important to share an update on the ways we have responded to your feedback over the last year. In response to your feedback in 2024, the key areas for attention continue to be: Here’s a recap and progress update on how we’ve responded to your feedback. We hope this update is helpful and summarises how we continue to listen to and respond to feedback from Team Orkney throughout…
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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – 22 April 2025
Message for All NHSO Staff Morning everyone I hope those who have had a break over the last week or so have enjoyed your downtime, and to those who have been working, including over the Public Holiday weekend – thank you. I want to start this week with a number of positives as a reminder that we are making progress and to celebrate our many achievements. Have a great week everyone. Best wishes Laura Skaife-Knight CEO
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Two NHS Orkney finalists at this year’s RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards 2025
This year’s finalists for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards 2025 have today been unveiled and we’re delighted to see not one but two NHS Orkney colleagues in the final. The RCN awards celebrate the #BestOfNursing in Scotland and are designed to shine a light on excellence in Scottish nursing, acknowledging, highlighting, and celebrating the unwavering commitment and exceptional professional care provided by our nursing staff. Amanda Manson, our Cardiology Specialist Nurse, has been nominated for the Adult Nursing Award. This award aims to recognise those who have succeeded in raising standards of care…
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Easter Public Holiday – Monday 21 April 2025
All GP surgeries will be closed on the Easter Public Holiday – Monday 21 April, but in an emergency you can contact a GP in the same way as routine evening/weekend cover. If you are ill when your practice is closed and can’t wait until it reopens, you should call NHS 24 on 111. Please plan ahead and only order the medication you need to cover the Easter public holiday. You can find more helpful tips on NHS Inform https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/prepare-for-spring/ Community Pharmacy Arrangements on Easter Monday:
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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – 7 April 2025
Message for All NHSO Staff Dear All I hope you are well. Now the clocks have changed, what a difference it makes to have longer days and more day light. Spring is well and truly here and I look forward to the coming months – hopefully this better weather continues. Last week marked two years since I joined NHS Orkney as CEO and what a two years it’s been. I wanted to share some of my reflections with you: Our future is a bright one and that is because we have amazing people doing amazing things every day for our…
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Hospital Pressures
We are currently seeing an increase in admissions to The Balfour. All of our services are continuing to operate including our planned procedures. However, we would ask our community to help us by accessing care in the most appropriate way. By the community accessing care in the right place, at the right time we can ensure those who need the most acute medical attention can be seen as quickly as possible. If you need to access medical attention, we’d ask that you seek support by: If you attend the Emergency Department but do not require urgent care you will face…
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NHS Orkney searching for new Non-Executive Board Member
Are you passionate about Orkney and its community? Do you want to make a real difference to the health and care of patients across Orkney? We are looking for someone with the senior financial skills and strategic experience necessary to be our next Non-Executive Board member. If you’re interested but would like more information, please join us for one of our informal information sessions: As a Non-Executive Board Member, you will understand the challenges and opportunities of delivering healthcare in Orkney, communicate effectively and have experience of leadership and change in complex settings. To read more or apply, please head…
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Launching our priorities for 2025/26 – responding to what matters most to our patients, community and staff
NHS Orkney has launched its priorities for the year ahead after asking patients, our community and staff, ‘what matters most to you’? We have listened carefully to the feedback and stories we receive throughout the year which points clearly to what we need to focus on in the year ahead to ensure we look after our community and provide excellent care on a consistent basis. Our priorities also incorporate the main local, regional and national priorities that are required of the Health Board. Our strategy focuses on five key areas: People, Place, Patient Safety, Performance and Potential. When we asked…
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Team Orkney Awards Night 2025
The winners of the 2025 Team Orkney Awards were announced at a special event held tonight which showcased the incredible talent and hard work of staff and teams across the organisation. 157 nominations were received for this year’s Team Orkney Awards across thirteen categories which were updated from last year based on feedback from staff. Our Team Orkney Awards are in direct response to staff and are now part of our wider reward and recognition programme across NHS Orkney. The Team Orkney Awards highlight examples of outstanding patient care, inspirational support and leadership, excellent teamwork and how living NHS Orkney’s…
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Eligible people urged to take up COVID-19 vaccine this spring
NHS Orkney is urging everyone offered a COVID-19 vaccine this spring to come forward, get vaccinated and stay protected – because COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared. Last summer in Scotland, there were more than 10,000 reported cases of COVID-19 and over 4,000 people hospitalised. This year’s spring vaccination programme is focused on protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19. This includes older adults in care homes, people aged 75 and over, and those with a weakened immune system, as they are at greater risk of illness from COVID-19. If you’re invited for a COVID-19 vaccination this spring, it’s because experts know that your…