Current Vacancies
Welcome from Laura Skaife-Knight, Chief Executive
Thank you for your interest in working with NHS Orkney.
Orkney is a really great place to live and work. The relationship with our local community here is truly a special one, and like nothing I have experienced before.
We strive to look after our community, provide excellent care and grow local talent. We are also excited by the increasing diversity that our colleagues from elsewhere in the UK and the world bring to Orkney. If it’s a move you are considering, like I did, you will no doubt have a lot of questions going through your mind about what it’s really like you can find out more about living and working in our Introduction to Orkney and NHS Orkney section.
We are proud to employ 800 staff across our community, primary and secondary care services. We call this team, Team Orkney, recognising we are one team, all pulling in the same direction. NHS Orkney is on an exciting journey of improvement. Our Promise (vision) is: Looking after our community and providing excellent care. Our recently published Corporate Strategy – called “Delivering what matters to our community: 2024-2028” is our compass at NHS Orkney and sets out our priorities.
Our values, aligned to those of NHS Scotland, are:
- Open and honest
- Respect
- Kindness
Our five strategic objectives, are:
- Place – by 2028 we will be a key partner in leading the delivery of place-based care which improves health outcomes and reduces health inequalities for our community.
- People – by 2028 we will ensure NHS Orkney is a great place to work
- Patient safety – by 2028 we will consistently deliver safe and high quality care to our community
- Performance – by 2028 we will within our budget, ensure our patients receive timely and equitable access to care and services and use our resources effectively
- Potential – by 2028 we will ensure innovation, transformation, education and learning are at the forefront of our continuous improvement.
You can read more about our Corporate Strategy on our website here and you can find our Year 2 (2025/26) priorities on the link here.
I believe in compassionate and visible leadership and creating an open, honest and transparent culture that supports staff to innovate, feel empowered to lead and to fulfil their true potential.
I want us to have a listening and learning culture here, where staff feel supported, valued, looked after and safe speaking up when they have concerns, including those about safety, and confident knowing they will be listened to and their feedback acted on.
It is important that we consistently listen to and respond to patient and staff feedback so that we can learn and continuously improve what we do.
It is also important to me that we have an inclusive culture and one where difference is celebrated, and where staff feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work.
The final thing I would like to say to any prospective applicant who may be considering a move to Orkney is that the islands occupy an enviable location at the North of Scotland with breath taking beaches, hills, and rolling countryside right on our doorstep. Orkney has consistently come out top in national lifestyle and happiness surveys, and with an open and vibrant community, it is the perfect location to call home within a safe and welcoming community.
This, along with Orkney’s direct flight connections to other major cities in Scotland and now further afield including London, means the area can offer staff so many rewarding opportunities for those in pursuit of finding the right work-life balance. If you’d like to discuss any opportunity, please get in touch with us and we’d be pleased to discuss further.
We recognise you will have many questions for us to help you to reach the right decision about your future. For me, choosing NHS Orkney was the best decision I ever made. I look forward to hearing from you, and I hope meeting and working with you.
We are on an exciting improvement journey – and you could be part of this.
Laura Skaife-Knight
Chief Executive
NHS Orkney
Introduction to Orkney and NHS Orkney
Lying off the northern coast of Scotland, between John O’Groats and the Shetland Isles, Orkney is an archipelago of over 70 beautiful islands – 17 of which are inhabited. With a total population of around 22,000, most residents live on the Orkney Mainland. Home to approximately 7,500 people, Kirkwall – Orkney’s capital – boasts a spectacular 12th-century red sandstone cathedral, a vibrant mix of shops and businesses, and a strong sense of community.
Orkney is a truly special place to live. With views stretching as far as the eye can see, stunning beaches, and miles upon miles of unspoiled coastline, it’s no surprise that Orkney has been voted the best place to live in Scotland for eight consecutive years, according to the Bank of Scotland’s quality of life survey. The islands offer low crime, low pollution, excellent schools, and a wealth of leisure facilities. Homes are affordable, traffic is minimal, and the pace of life is both peaceful and fulfilling.
Despite its remote location, Orkney is well connected. Daily flights link the islands to Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Inverness, while ferry services connect to mainland Scotland and our outer isles. This accessibility supports a thriving local economy, rooted in agriculture and bolstered by tourism, oil, and renewable energy. Orkney is internationally recognised for its high-quality produce – beef, lamb, cheese, fish, whisky, beer, and gin – and is at the forefront of the UK’s renewable wave and tidal energy sector.
The islands are a haven for families and individuals alike. Kirkwall offers a wonderful environment for children, with excellent schools (no private fees), a wide range of cultural and sporting activities, and a strong community spirit. The Pickaquoy Centre provides a modern, well-equipped sports facility, swimming pool, and entertainment hub. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy golf, fishing, kayaking, cycling, diving, windsurfing, and horse riding. Annual music, jazz, and science festivals attract internationally renowned artists and scientists, enriching the cultural life of the islands.
At the heart of healthcare in Orkney is NHS Orkney, where innovation meets community care. Our hospital and healthcare facility, The Balfour, opened in 2019 and has transformed the way we deliver healthcare. It brings together inpatient wards, an emergency department, outpatients, diagnostic services, dentistry, two GP practices, and the Scottish Ambulance Service under one roof – fostering close multidisciplinary collaboration to benefit our patients. We are also investing in our outer island facilities, driving forward service improvements with confidence and ambition.
NHS Orkney offers a wide range of exciting career prospects and is committed to supporting learning and development for individuals at all stages of their careers. We actively welcome people of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience who are passionate about making a difference.
With one of the highest employment rates in the UK, a strong sense of wellbeing, and a community where many still leave their doors unlocked, Orkney is more than just a place to live – it’s a place to belong.
To find out more about living and working in Orkney, visit www.orkney.com.
Watch the video below to find out more about living and working in Orkney
Latest vacancies
Follow the link to view our vacancies on the NHS Scotland recruitment site. For more information on our vacancies please contact the recruitment team at ork.recruitment@nhs.scot.
Medical Elective
Regretfully, NHS Orkney will not be offering Elective placements in 2025. This will be reviewed for 2026 and our website will be updated accordingly.
Work Experience
NHS Orkney is pleased to support a number of clinical and non-clinical work experience placements. This provides individuals with the opportunity to gain further knowledge and understanding in the careers available at the NHS.
If you are a school student and interested in a work experience placement, please speak to your DYW school co-ordinator.
If you are a school leaver and interested in a placement, please contact the Talent and Culture team on ork.employability@nhs.scot.
A rich history and heritage
Orkney has an abundance of archaeological history and tourists come from all over the world to admire Orkney’s Neolithic sites.
10,000 years of history can be seen throughout Orkney and new discoveries are still being made. From the Neolithic village of Skara Brae, the St Magnus Cathedral, the Ring of Brodgar, Churchill Barriers and the Italian Chapel, there is plenty to be explored in Orkney.
Voted the best place to live
In 2020 Orkney was named the best place to live in Scotland for the eighth year in a row, rating positively on employment, health, low crime, lack of traffic and even the weather.
Orkney was also named the best place in Great Britain to bring up children with a survey confirming that children benefit from a quality education in Orkney, with its schools often included in Great Britain’s top 100 Best State School list.
Excellent housing and schools
There are 17 primary and 2 secondary schools located on the mainland of Orkney, with 3 Junior High schools on the outer islands. Further education is provided at Orkney College, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.
There is a range of housing to buy or rent throughout the islands. Social housing is provided through Orkney Islands Council and the Orkney Housing Association.
Transport links
Links from the mainland
Orkney is remote and geographically isolated however travelling to the islands is simple as there are various transport links to the mainland. You can travel to Orkney by sea with services operated by Northlink Ferries and Pentland Ferries. If you prefer to fly, you can use Orkney’s Air Services with several flights available each day to various Scottish airports.
Orkney residents are eligible for an islander discount operated by Northlink ferries. For flights between Orkney and Scottish airports, Orkney residents are also eligible for discounted fares under the Air Discount Card Scheme.
Using public transport
Public transport is available through Stagecoach bus services who operate throughout the Orkney mainland. Transport services are also available through OCTO, a local company who provide Bus, Coach and Minibus hire to serve local community groups, as well as providing a service to tourist groups.
The nearest railway station is in Thurso on the Scottish Mainland where you can take a bus to the ferry services.
Making your own way
NorthLink Ferries operate a car-ferry service between Stromness and Scrabster in the north of Scotland. They operate daily return journeys that take approximately one hour and thirty minutes. Northlink also operate a ferry service from Aberdeen to Kirkwall that takes around six hours, and if you’d like to go further north you can also get a Northlink ferry to Shetland from Kirkwall.
Pentland Ferries operate a car-ferry service from St. Margaret’s Hope in South Ronaldsay which operates daily return journeys between St Margaret’s Hope and Gills Bay on the mainland. The journey takes just one hour and is the shortest ferry crossing with your car.
Loganair operate Orkney’s main air services and there are flights available from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Shetland to Kirkwall Airport.