Kingussie hospital ward still closed because of sickness
One of the two wards at St Vincents Hospital in Kingussie is still closed because of staff sickness.
South East Highland Community Health Partnership – which is the area of NHS Highland responsible for Kingussie – stressed that the closure of the Lynwilg ward was a temporary measure and will be kept under ongoing review.
The ward was shut on Monday due to what NHS bosses said was a high level of nursing staff sickness.
Mr Nigel Small, General Manager for the South East CHP, said: "Lynwilg, which is the elderly mental health ward at the hospital, is currently experiencing a number of sickness issues amongst the qualified nursing staff and we have been unable to secure replacement qualified staff.
"We have a duty to provide safe patient care and if staffing levels are not deemed adequate we need to review the situation.
"This has occurred and we have taken the decision to temporarily close the ward. This allows us to review the sickness situation and look at potential options for alternative cover."
Mr Small explained that there was only one patient on the Ward who, after clinical assessment, was deemed suitable for transfer to Gynack Ward, also within the Kingussie hospital.
As an interim measure, a similar clinical assessment process will take place for any other patients whom the consultant psychiatrist want to admit.
They will be sent to either Gynack Ward at St Vincents or Clava Ward at New Craigs Hospital in Inverness.
Mr Small said: "We will, of course, keep the situation under constant review and will ensure that any inconvenience to patients is minimised’.’
