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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – 18 March 2024
Message for All NHS Orkney Staff Dear Team Orkney Launching Team Orkney – Improving Together NHS Orkney is a special organisation, as is our relationship with our local community. Our goal – as Team Orkney – is to listen to and act on feedback from our patients, community, and staff (putting people first in all we do), to be ambitious for our future and in doing so put clear plans in place that enable us to further improve care and services for our patients and community year-on-year. Over the last 12-months we’ve begun our improvement journey which is different to…
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NHS Orkney has once again been awarded the Gold Award for continued commitment to the Armed Forces
Last Thursday, 7 March, Roy McLellan Regional Employer Engagement Director from Highland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association presented NHS Orkney with the Gold Award for the Defence Employee Recognition Scheme in recognition of the commitment to the Armed Forces. The last time Orkney was awarded this was in 2018, with NHS Orkney the first Health Board to be awarded this accolade. Ali Sabiston, NHS Orkney Talent and Culture Manager said: “As a veteran I am extremely proud to be part of an organisation that sees the potential in and, supports the Armed Forces community it has.” Laura Skaife-Knight, NHS Orkney…
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Easter Public Holiday Arrangements – Monday 1 April 2024
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:
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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – 4 March 2024
Message for All NHS Orkney Staff Dear Team Orkney Happy Monday! I start my update with a number of positives to recognise and celebrate – so we start the week with some good news. Some further updates of importance: Around 1 in 4 of you responded to our survey, which is the first such survey we have done. Your feedback throughout the year – including from this survey – will help us to improve your experience of working here and better manage work-related stress. The results show that we need to focus on two key areas to better support you…
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Mobile MRI Scanner
The mobile MRI scanner is due to arrive in the county on Sunday, 3rd March. The visiting scanner is currently on rotation with other health boards, thanks to the support of the Scottish Government. All patients who will benefit from the visiting service should now have received their appointment letters. It is estimated 75 patients in Orkney may benefit from this service and reduce the need for trips to Aberdeen. However, we would like to stress, this scanner will not see all patients who are currently waiting for a scan, some will still need to travel to Aberdeen. This is based…
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Congratulations to the Team Orkney Award shortlist
Today we announce the 30 individuals/teams who have been shortlisted for our 2024 Team Orkney Awards. Our shortlist has been chosen by our overarching judging panel and recognised for their exceptional care and contributions to our patients, to keeping our services running, and going above and beyond to improving and innovating our services. We are delighted to be working in partnership with The Orcadian for our staff awards – which have been reintroduced in direct response to staff feedback. The full shortlist can be viewed here, Team Orkney Awards – Shortlist Laura Skaife-Knight, NHS Orkney Chief Executive, said: “A very well…
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Message for NHS Orkney Staff from the CEO and Chair – Our Quarter 3 performance – how we did
Message for All NHS Orkney Staff Dear Team Orkney Our Quarter 3 performance – how we didNow we are now mid-waythrough the final quarter of 2023/24, it’s important that we reflect on our Quarter 3 (October-December 2023) achievements and progress. Yesterday we discussed the steps forward we continue to take and were clear about where we need to focus our efforts in the remainder of the year and beyond so that we continue to further improve patient, community and staff experience. Strategic objective 1 – WORKFORCE Quarter 3 progress: Headlines Strategic objective 2 – CULTUREQuarter 3 progress: Headlines Strategic objective 3 – QUALITY AND SAFETYQuarter…
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Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – 19 February 2024
Message for All NHS Orkney Staff Dear Team Orkney Happy Monday everyone – I hope you had a good weekend and to those who have been working/on-call – thank you. I’m really mindful that Quarter 4 (January to March), as we come to the end of winter and the dark nights continue, can be tough. I know from a number of people this is a hard time of year. I also want to recognise that I know many staff are feeling weary and are looking forward to Spring when we can spend more time outdoors and in brighter weather which we…
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Flu and Covid Vaccination Programme – Winter – February 2024 – New Clinic Dates Added
We are continuing to vaccinate against both Flu and Covid, recognising both can be serious, even for healthy people. If you are eligible for vaccination and have missed your appointment, or you are a household contact or carer and haven’t yet had your vaccine, please come along to one of the drop-in clinics at The Balfour below: If you require more information regarding your eligibility please call the team on 0300 303 5313, or visit: NHS Inform Winter Vaccines.
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Public Dental Service
The Public Dental Service which provides dental care from The Balfour and Garson Dental Clinic are a small team and are currently facing unexpected staffing shortages. In order to allow the service to continue to provide urgent dental care, we are having to cancel some routine appointments over the next 2 weeks. If your appointment is being postponed, you will be contacted directly. Steven Johnston, Dental Director at NHS Orkney said: “I would like to apologise in advance for the disruption this may cause and would ask you to please be patient and understanding with us while we are in this period of…
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System Pressures at NHS Orkney
NHS Orkney is experiencing increased pressures on its inpatient services this week. To protect key services and ensure patient safety, we may need to review some planned activity for the remainder of the week. Please be assured we don’t make these decisions lightly and if we do need to reschedule, we will be in touch with patients directly. If you have a health concern that does not require urgent treatment but cannot wait until your GP or Pharmacy reopens, we would ask that you make use of NHS 24 by calling 111, using the NHS 24 app, or the NHS…
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Restaurant Price Increase
As you will know from your own weekly shops, food prices are continuing to increase and as such so are our costs. From Monday 19 February a price increase of 5% for staff and 10% for visitors will be implemented across all menu items at the restaurant onsite at The Balfour. This will be the first price increase we have had in the past 12 months and to maintain the high standard of service we provide, this increase is necessary. As well as the continually rising costs, we are conscious of the need to continue to look at every aspect…