LOCAL NEWS 22 MAY 2023

Skye and Raasay Councillor stress need for health care progress

The need for progress in urgent care and bed provision across north Skye has today been underlined by Skye and Raasay Councillors at an area committee meeting.

Speaking at this morning meeting Councillor Calum Munro paid tribute to the community for its hard work in protecting services but stress the need for Sir Lewis Ritchie’s recommendations to be implemented for the sake of the island.

“Seven or eight years ago, there were moves to close Portree Hospital, and it was a huge community effort led by SOS-NHS Skye and the wider community which saved the hospital and eventually brought Sir Lewis Ritchie to come and review the situation,” he said.

“We must remember that Sir Lewis Ritchie report is not simply an aspiration it is a binding document which the NHS Highland Board committed to as part of the full business case to build Broadford Hospital.”

All four Skye and Raasay members agreed that increasing community beds and providing 24/7 care and was crucial.

Assessing the steps taken since the 2018 Ritchie report, Conservative councillor Ruaridh Stewart highlighted a steep decline in bed provision

“At that point (2018) there were 71 community beds and there was commitment and need to increase that to 77 beds for Skye. Like my [fellow] members Councillor Finlayson and Councillor Millar [have said] there is this frustration in the community, because the current situation falls far short of this recommendation, there is only 41 community beds available at the moment.

“And, as has been mentioned before, the urgent care service is only available at weekends and bank holidays.

“The provision of care beds, it leaves our vulnerable and elderly residents without that care accessible to their community.

“It puts families on Skye in a really difficult position, they have either go to provide that support themselves or they have to witness their loved ones sent away to distant care homes scattered across the Highlands.

“It is really crucial that we do provide the necessary resources, staffing and infrastructure, roads, it has all been covered here, to fulfil the promise of quality health care services here that there has been a commitment to…”

“The pace of action does seem to be causing frustration in the community…. there is this view that this (recommendations) have been kicked into the long grass and that’s something that we can’t allow to continue.”

NHS Highland’s former chief officer Louise Bussell said that recruitment continued to be a considerable obstacle when it came to care beds across the area.

“In relation to bed capacity, you are absolutely right, we have massive challenges with recruiting – pretty much most of our staff at Home Farm (care home) are agency staff, and that is entirely because we can’t recruit.

“We have repeatedly tried various different methods of recruiting, both to support worker roles and to substantive. We have more luck in the hospital with support workers, but again we have challenges with recruitment of registered staff…”

Council backs quiet routes on Skye and Raasay

During Monday’s area committee meeting, councillors gave their back to the introduction quiet routes on Skye and Raasay.

The temporary traffic regulations orders will see 60 miles per hour section reduced to 40 mile per hours zone on the Armadale to Tormore route in south Skye and the Inverarish road on Raasay.

The speed limit on the routes will be fixed at 4om miles per hour for a period of 18 months.

Creative Arts Festival Portree holds open night

The premier night of the UHI West Highland’s Creative Arts Festival Portree take place in the Skye capital tonight.

The grand opening is being held between 5.30 to 7.30, the Portree campus.

The exhibition will include work from students across creative disciplines and levels – including Contemporary Art Practice, Sculpture, Photography and Drawing.

Ahead of the festival, UHI Portree Art and Design lecturer Meg Miller, pictured above, spoke to Radio Skye about the importance of the event for the students.

“It is a very important part of the course at this stage where they are engaging with the public and other creative people.

“They are going to get different perspective and viewpoints are they are going to be picking up on some of those, so it should be great.

Skye hockey teams make debut in Ben Wyvis Festival

Skye Junior Hockey teams took part in the Ben Wyvis Hockey Festival for the first-time last Friday May at Dingwall Academy.

Two teams participate in the competition – Skye Cuillin the more experienced side, and Skye Storr a side comprising beginners to the sport.

The Skye squad was organised by Portree Active Schools Sarah Ross along with coach Angie MacGilvray who along with parents accompanied the teams to the festival.

Event organiser Paula Barlow from Ben Wyvis Primary School and Dingwall Academy was keen that more high schools get involved in the secondary age leagues as at present only three high schools across Highland compete.

Speaking to Radio Skye about the tournament, Skye hockey coach Angie MacGilvray said: “This is the first time that we have participated in the Ben Wyvis Hockey Festival and we were delighted to have two young teams representing Skye.

“There were 14 primary school teams from across the Highlands participating in the event at Dingwall, and for most of our players in was their first time competing at a tournament of this nature, they all did fantastically well.

“Our Skye Cuillin team came third in their league with some great play and really good goals and our young Skye Storr team showed great determination against very tough opposition in their league.

She added: “It was a fantastic experience for us all and it is great to be part of a Highland hockey community.

“Where are really grateful to Sarah Ross who supports our hockey activities through the Highlife Highland programme and we are looking forward to more game and tournaments in the future.”

Fort William to host Royal National Mòd in 2025

Fort William has today been announced been as the host for Royal National Mòd 2025

The Lochaber town has been selected as the venue for Gaeldom’s premiere event for the ninth.

The annual celebration of Gaelic language and culture will run from 10th to 18th October.

A total of 2,100 participants from across the world took part in a total of 200 competitions at the 2022 Royal National Mod held in Perth.

Around 7,500 people are estimated to have visited Perth for the festival and its thought to have contributed around £1 million to the local economy.

News by Adam Gordon.

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