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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – 29 April 2024
Message for All NHS Orkney Staff Dear Team Orkney In this fortnightly blog I update you on two important issues (1) our Financial Plan for the year and (2) our Delivering what matters to our community 2024-2028. We ended the 2023/24 financial year with a £5.1m overspend – £2m above our original 2023/24 Financial Plan, though an improved position from the £6.2m overspend which we were forecasting at the end of October 2023. It is important to note that this position is provisional, and we are in discussions with Scottish Government (SG) around any support funding for 2023/24. We submitted…
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Monday 6 May – Public Holiday Arrangements
All GP surgeries will be closed on the May Day Public Holiday – Monday 6 May 2024, 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. Community Pharmacy Arrangements on Monday 6 May:
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Delivering what matters to our community: 2024-2028 – 25 April 2024
NHS Orkney has formally launched its new five-year strategy, setting out the organisation’s ambition for the future and its promise to our community. The strategy has been developed after a three-month engagement period where patients, our community and staff were asked: what matters most to you, which NHS Orkney has listened to and acted on. We have listened really carefully to the many powerful stories and feedback we have received and today we launch our new strategy which sets out how we will work together to look after our community and provide excellent care. The strategy focuses on five key…
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MRI Scanner returning to Orkney
Following collaborative efforts by the North of Scotland Imaging Alliance, including NHS Orkney, we are pleased to announce that funding has been secured to continue the visiting MRI scanner service for an additional 12 months. The mobile MRI scanner is due to arrive in the county on May 15th and will be here until May 20th and will be scanning from 8am to 8pm each day. All patients who will benefit from the visiting service should now have received their appointment letters or been contacted by phone. However, we would like to stress, this scanner will not see all patients who are…
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North East Scotland Breast Screening Programme Orkney 2024
Nearly 3200 Orkney women between the ages of 50-70 years will be receiving their invitations, over the next few months, to attend for breast screening when the Mobile Unit returns to Orkney on 29th April 2024. This year there will be 2 units for routine screening mammograms and both will be based at The Balfour Hospital main car park until 4th July 2024. The Breast Screening Service visits Orkney every three years and Orkney remains one of the highest screening uptakes in the country. On our last visit in 2021, 82% of eligible women attended for screening which was a tremendous response.…
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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – our Confidential Contacts are here to support you
Message for All NHS Orkney Staff Our Confidential Contacts are here to listen and signpost you to support I’m absolutely determined that we create a culture here where you feel safe speaking up when you have concerns – including safety concerns – and know where to go to share feedback or speak to someone to get advice on what to do and where to go next. I recently shared a communication which summarised the many ways in which you can share your feedback with us (the menu of options for ‘the ways we listen’) – as follows: Access the Blog…
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Covid-19 Spring Vaccine 2024 – 10 April 2024
NHS Scotland recommends you have the spring vaccine this year if you: NHS Scotland will contact you with information about your appointment or with information on how to book. Please wait to be contacted. Please note the local Vaccination Service has moved within The Balfour. Please make sure you check in for your appointment at Central Reception and they will direct you where to go. If you’re aged 75 or over, look out for your COVID-19 vaccine invitation arriving by post, email or text. We strongly recommend that you take up this offer and don’t let your protection fade this…
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Team Orkney – Improving Together for our patients and community
We have launched a new organisation-wide improvement programme – called Team Orkney: Improving Together – to further improve care, services and the experience of our patients and community. Our goal is to listen to and act on feedback from our patients, community and staff so we can continuously improve care and services for our community and so that we can become a learning organisation. We are keen to hear your bright ideas on how we can improve our services, you can share your ideas by clicking here or by emailing ork.improvementhub@nhs.scot. Our Improvement Team will also be visiting community groups and getting out and…
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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – My Reflections – on my first year anniversary as your CEO – 4 April
Message for All NHS Orkney Staff Dear Team Orkney My reflections – on my first year anniversary as your CEO A year ago today I joined NHS Orkney as your CEO. This was the right decision, and the right move for me for so many reasons. I am incredibly proud to be your CEO and I consider it a privilege to do what I do. What motivates me every day is working with Team Orkney to deliver outstanding care and services for our patients and local community and making NHS Orkney a better place to work. I want to take…
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Message for NHS Orkney Staff sent from the Chair and CEO – A year of significant improvement for NHSO
Message for NHS Orkney Staff Dear Team Orkney, Re: A year of significant improvement for NHS Orkney – our future is bright Thank you once again for all of your hard work and focus on delivering outstanding care for our patients and our community over the last year as we have continued to prioritise recovery from the pandemic (including reducing waiting times for our patients wherever possible) and as we have begun our journey of improvement as an organisation. Over the last 12-months many important foundations have been laid at NHS Orkney to ensure we can deliver much-needed sustainable change…
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Easter Monday Public Holiday Arrangements
All GP surgeries will be closed on the Easter Public Holiday Monday 1 April 2024, 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. Community Pharmacy Arrangements on Easter Monday:👉WHB Sutherlands Kirkwall – Open 9am to 5.30pm👉WHB Sutherlands Stromness – Closed👉Dounby Pharmacy – Closed👉Boots Pharmacy Kirkwall – Closed
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NHS Orkney – Team Orkney Awards Night 2024
The winners of the 2024 Team Orkney Awards were announced at a special event held at The Albert Hotel tonight which showcased the incredible talent and hard work by staff and teams across the organisation. Over 106 nominations across nine categories were received for the first ever Team Orkney Awards. The Team Orkney Awards highlight examples of outstanding patient care, inspirational support and leadership, excellent teamwork and how living NHS Orkney’s values has made a significant difference to the lives of patients and our community. 2024 winners and finalists: Clinical Team of the Year (sponsored by the Royal College of Nursing)…