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Highland NHS out of hours review under way





Views are sought on primary out of hours service
Views are sought on primary out of hours service

Health professionals and patient groups in Highland have given their views on the national review of primary care out-of-hours services.

During the engagement event on Friday (July 10), the chair of the review, Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie, met with patient representatives, practitioners, service providers and policy makers to discuss issues facing out-of-hours services.

Launched in January, by Health Secretary Shona Robison, the review is considering how best to deliver out-of-hour services in light of the challenges of Scotland’s ageing population, and as health and social care services become better integrated.

Throughout the summer Professor Ritchie and the review team are visiting every health board area in Scotland in order to gather feedback, to “better understand issues facing the delivery and sustainability of primary care services when GP surgeries are closed, such as the recruitment and retention of GPs, staff availability, consistency of service and public expectations.”

The review, which is due to publish its findings in autumn, builds on the Scottish Government’s 2020 Vision for the NHS in Scotland and the work already underway with stakeholders to determine the short and long term plans.

Professor Ritchie said: “The NHS is facing different challenges from a decade ago with an ageing population and more people with more complex, multiple conditions.

“Out-of-hours services are a crucial component of the NHS and the review of out-of-hours primary care will be looking at how services can provide access to urgent care when needed, deliver the right skills mix and above all continue to offer patient-centred, high quality, safe and effective care in a sustainable environment.

“As part of the review process it is vital that we hear from health boards, medical and care based professionals, the voluntary and third sectors and patient groups.

"This is why I am undertaking a programme of national engagement across Scotland over the summer.”

The programme of visits will give medical professionals and patients the chance to express their views from both a regional and national level.

Professor Ritchie went on: “Today’s visit to Highland has provided me with invaluable insight into the area’s approach. It was interesting to hear views from the diverse range of people who participated in the visit including doctors, like myself, nurses, pharmacists, managers, patients and partner agencies including Scottish Fire & Rescue and Scottish Ambulance Service.

“I was pleased to be able to visit the Highland Hub in Inverness which is in the same building as NHS 24 and Scottish Ambulance Service Dispatch Centre. The staff there deal with hundreds of calls both in and out of hours and cover social care and telecare as well as primary care. This is an excellent example of how hubs can support services across the region through having the right information and access to appropriate advice at all times.

“I also heard about how Highland is looking to meet considerable challenges around having adequate staffing in place in hours and out of hours across such a diverse area. We discussed their urban areas as well as remote, rural and island communities. By developing a greater team approach and working with key partners such as Scottish Fire and Rescue, Scottish Ambulance Service, the third sector and crucially, staff and communities themselves, colleagues in Highland hope to build a strong and sustainable service for the future.”


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