Little sign of pensions dispute in Badenoch and Strathspey apart from school closures
NHS Highland health chiefs have said that everything has been running smoothly despite today’s nationwide public sector strike.
They said there were currently no concerns over the safe running of services and that all arrangements put in place to cope with the industrial action are going according to plan.
All patients who needed to be seen today as part of a programme of planned care are being seen.
Emergency services are in place and arrangements have been made to cover all shifts.
Elaine Mead, Chief Executive for NHS Highland, said: "I would like to again highlight that our priority at all times is to ensure we run a safe service, including running emergency services as well as all other essential services.
"We have robust plans to cope with such situations and we are now overseeing their implementation. "Our senior managers will continue to monitor the situation throughout the day.
"I have personally made contact with all parts of NHS Highland and I am content with the current situation.
"As expected, there has been picketing across many of our sites. This has taken place in line with prior agreements with trade union representatives.
"I am grateful to trade union colleagues for their co-operation to allow safe services to be provided and for picket lines to be conducted appropriately."
NHS Highland has systems in place to log any concerns reported from patients or members of the public linked to Industrial action.
A spokesperson said: "These are being collated centrally but there have been no issues to report so far."
Meanwhile, the Strathy is only aware of the only small demonstration in Badenoch and Strathspey in support of the dispute.
Highland countryside ranger Saranna Bish and social worker Shirley Christie and her eight year old son, Nathan, have placards out in front of the Townhouse in Grantown this morning.
The council’s three service points in the strath - at Aviemore, Grantown andr Kingussie are closed although staff were at work in the Strathspey capital office.
Calls were still being taken at the council’s call centre in Alness from the public.
The council’s main office at Ruthven Road in Kingussie was not picketed.
Ms Sue Palmer, Highland Council’s ward manager for Badenoch and Strathspey, said: "Things have been pretty quiet."
A spokeswoman for the local social work services said "it was business as usual" for the care at home team in the strath.
She said that the public would not notice any difference if they called regarding the service, and this would be the case later today with the duty system.
All of the region’s primary and secondary schools have been closed today.