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How we’re doing: our Quarter 3 (October – December 2024) Corporate Strategy progress update
Message for All NHS Orkney Staff Dear Team Orkney Re: How we’re doing: our Quarter 3 (October – December 2024) Corporate Strategy progress update When we launched our new Corporate Strategy last year, we committed to keeping our patients, community, partners, and you updated on how we’re performing against our five strategic priorities (and the specific deliverables within each) we agreed for this year. As a reminder: Our promise to our community (our vision) is looking after our community and providing excellent care. Our values are: Our Strategic Objectives are People, Patient Safety, Performance, Potential and Place. This is our…
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Help set our 2025/26 priorities for NHS Orkney
We’re developing our priorities for the year ahead and want to hear what matters to you, so these priorities are meaningful to our patients and community. Since we launched our Corporate Strategy last year, it has become our ‘compass’ at NHS Orkney. It is guiding the steps we need to take year-on-year to ensure we move incrementally closer each year to achieving our promise of looking after our community and providing excellent care on a consistent basis. There are a number of ways in which our community can have their say about what our priorities need to be for 2025/26: Laura…
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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – 27 January 2025
Message for All NHSO Staff Dear Team Orkney Re: Help us create our priorities for year 2 of our Corporate Strategy We’re starting our conversations with you, our patients and our community about what our priorities need to be for Year 2 of our Corporate Strategy (2025/26). Since we launched our Corporate Strategy last year, it has been our ‘compass’ and determines every decision we make. Involving you, patients, local community, partners and external stakeholders in the development of our priorities for Year 2 is key so that it is meaningful to everyone. I also recognise from the many conversations…
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Amber Weather Warning
Although strong winds are nothing new to us in Orkney, Storm Éowyn is expected to bring very strong winds and widespread disruption from 1pm tomorrow (Friday) until 6am on Saturday. The Amber weather warning then downgrades to a yellow warning for the rest of Saturday. For those more vulnerable or those worried about venturing out for appointments in the windy weather, please do call us to rearrange if you are uncomfortable travelling during this period. The Met Office has issued information on what to expect and tips for staying safe, which can be found here, https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/warnings…/uk-warnings… If you are seeking medical…
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The new Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) service at NHS Orkney
We have now launched our new service, Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ), in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support which aims to support everyone living in Orkney affected by cancer with their non-clinical needs, this is in addition to all of the existing clinical support provided. The ICJ service will support people with accessing services for their non-clinical needs, support may include: When people access the ICJ service, a Holistic Needs Assessment will be offered which helps to determine what matters most to the person, this includes questions not just about cancer but practicalities, financial or physical concerns and emotional or…
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System pressures update across NHS Orkney
Although we remain busy in both our Emergency Department and Inpatient Wards, from this morning, we have been able to restart planned procedures after our pause earlier this week due to increased system pressures across NHS Orkney. We have also been able to repatriate patients back to The Balfour from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) where appropriate. We are aware there continues to be cold and flu (respiratory) cases across the county and would urge everyone to please stay at home, if possible, when experiencing these symptoms (coughs, fevers, runny or blocked nose etc). If you are eligible for either the…
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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff
Message for All NHSO Staff Dear All I know how busy the hospital and sites have been over the last few weeks and continue to be, how challenging things are and how hard everyone is working. Thank you for all you are doing and for the care you are providing to our patients and community, recognising these are difficult times and that many days the pressures feel unrelenting. Having spoken to many colleagues I am getting a clear message that there are too many competing priorities and ‘asks’ being put onto people which are unreasonable. I want you to know…
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System pressures across NHS Orkney – Update
Last week we shared how busy The Balfour was and that we had seen an increase in patients admitted with respiratory illnesses. We are once again starting this week with extremely busy wards and an increase in patient admissions however not with the same level of respiratory cases. Unfortunately, we are now postponing a selection of planned procedures for the coming days. While we apologise for this, it is not an easy decision to make but patient safety is our upmost priority as we continue to navigate this extremely busy period. If you are effected in the postponing of procedures…
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Flu and Covid appointed and drop in clinics – January 2025
Appointed clinics and a drop in clinic have been arranged at The Balfour for those who are eligible for vaccination on the following dates. For the appointed clinics on Mondays, please call the Vaccination Team on 0300 303 5313 to book an appointment at these clinics. For the drop in clinic, please attend at any time as outlined. Please check in at central reception of The Balfour for all these clinics. For more information and to find out if you’re eligible, please visit nhsinform.scot/wintervaccines. You can also find out more on our NHS Orkney Vaccination Programme page. #WinterVaccinesScot
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NHS Orkney appoints new Director of Performance and Transformation (and Deputy CEO)
Tammy Sharp will join NHS Orkney in the months to come as our new Director of Performance and Transformation (and Deputy CEO).This role is an 18-month fixed term post, fully funded by Scottish Government, and forms part of a reduced package of national financial support that is a requirement for NHS Orkney while we are at level 3 escalation of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework (related to our financial performance). This post is a replacement for our current Director of Improvement, Phil Tydeman who will leave NHS Orkney at the end of March 2025, as planned. Tammy will…
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We start 2025 with some great news for our community with funding secured for MRI Scanner in Orkney
We start 2025 with some positive news for Orkney’s community following confirmation from Scottish Government that NHS Orkney has secured over half a million pounds of funding that will enable Orkney to have a mobile MRI scanner on-site at The Balfour for 12 months. The scanner will resemble the familiar mobile unit previously seen in Orkney on a rotational basis and will continue to be stationed at the rear of The Balfour. This funding for 2025/26 ensures the continuation of the vital MRI service, providing a seamless experience for our patients and community, while avoiding unnecessary travel to other hospital…
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System pressures across NHS Orkney
NHS Orkney has been experiencing increased pressures across the entire health care system and these pressures continue this week. We are seeing more people admitted with acute presentations and those with respiratory illnesses. In line with national trends, we have started to see a spike in respiratory and flu cases across the county and would urge everyone to please stay at home, if possible, when experiencing these symptoms (coughs, fevers, runny or blocked nose etc). A few simple steps really will make all the difference in preventing the spread of infection: If you are visiting loved ones in hospital, please…