LOCAL NEWS 21 JULY 2025

Islanders views sought on Skye healthcare services

Island healthcare group SOS-NHS Skye are asking Skye residents for to share their experiences of accessing urgent care and NHS 24 ahead of a meeting in Portree next week.

Representatives of the pressure group are set to meet on Monday 28th July at the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in Portree to hear from members of the public.

SOS-NHS Skye are asking islanders whether they are able to access health and care services when they need them

What there experiences are of using NHS 24 service. Whether they are clear about who to contact for urgent care and emergency, and what action they want SOS-NHS Skye to take.

SOS-NHS Skye’s concerns over urgent care have heightened following a meeting with NHS Highland’s nurse director Louise Bussell in June in which the group were told that the current service model from Portree Hospital (pictured below) was not working.

A spokesperson for NHS Highland said that the service was experiencing workforce challenges, and to respond to this they are reviewing and adjusting the model of care to ensure they can achieve greater resilience of the urgent care centre at Portree Hospital.

The spokesperson added: “The Urgent Care service will continue to provide 24/7 access to care while looking at adaptations, which will ensure the right response at the right time in the right place. Further details of the service can be found on our website

NHS Highland advise that people contact NHS24 on 111 should they need to access Urgent care and 999 if they need an emergency response.

The Sir Lewis Ritchie Report Implementation Steering Group meeting will be co-chaired by retired GP Dr Charles Crichton and Skye and Raasay Councillor Ruraidh Stewart.

New single RSV jab available for high-risk infants

More babies who are born very prematurely will now be protected against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) with the introduction of a new single injection which lasts throughout the winter season.

Following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the single dose long-acting antibody medicine, will replace the five monthly jabs which were previously offered to higher-risk infants between October and February.

In addition, the existing programme for higher risk infants is being expanded to include very preterm infants, born before 32 weeks.

RSV can lead to life-threatening pneumonia and infant bronchiolitis, a lung infection.

Minister for Public Health Jenni Minto said: “RSV can be life-threatening to babies born very early.

“That is why I am pleased the single jab will be offered by all NHS Boards across Scotland from this September, helping to protect these high-risk infants over winter.”

SRUC to partner in £3 million EU-wide farming project

Scotland Rural College, the SRUC, is set to partner in a new £3 million multi-national project using digital technologies to benefit farming.

The DIGI-Rangeland will highlight how digital technologies – and other innovative ways to collect livestock and environmental data – could be better tailored to the needs of livestock managers and wider communities in moorland areas.

Known as rangeland outwith the UK and Ireland, moorland covers over a third of the globe and provides the forage resource for a range of extensively managed grazing systems, where the livestock convert the vegetation into meat and dairy products suitable for human consumption.

SRUC is the UK partner in the EU-funded project which is being led by the French Livestock Institute with partners from organisations, in addition to the UK, in Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and Romania.

Dr Claire Morgan-Davies is from SRUC’s Hill & Mountain Research Centre near Loch Lomond.

Dr Morgan-Davies’s team will be involved in setting up a network of upland farmers and wider land users in the UK.
The Hill & Mountain Research Centre will also act as an Upland Digital Hub, organising events for farmers, advisors, students and other upland land-users to see how those solutions can operate in practice.

Expert exam helpline to provide support for Highland students

Young people in the Highlands can call a dedicated helpline offering expert advice to anyone receiving their full Higher, National, and Advanced results on Tuesday 5th August 2025.

The pupils and students- along with their parents and carers – will be able to get support with their results through Skills Development Scotland’s (SDS) Results Helpline, which opens from 8am on results day.

The SDS results helpline will once again be staffed by expert careers advisers to assist anybody that needs help with their options and next steps, providing impartial career information, advice, and guidance.

The team of qualified advisers from Scotland’s national skills agency will be at the end of the phone line to offer guidance on colleges and universities, UCAS Confirmation and Clearing, apprenticeships, jobs and other training, volunteering, or staying on at school.

Dave McCallum, Head of Career Information, Advice and Guidance Operations at Skills Development Scotland’s (SDS) said: “Our message for young people and their parents and carers as their results arrive is not to panic.

“Everything might seem overwhelming right now but remember that this is just one step on their journey.

“Our experienced advisers are here to provide expert support and guidance, offering information on a wide range of options and opportunities. They are also trained to help young people recognise that they are more than their exam results, giving them the confidence to see their strengths and abilities beyond qualifications

Shiel shock Kings and Skye emphatically book cup final spot

A Jay MacRae goal 11 minutes from time earned Kinlochshiel a shock 2-1 comeback win over reigning champions Kingussie as the Lochalsh side brought a six-man winless run to an end.

Shiel’s woes looked set to continue when Dylan Borthwick struck inside the opening ten minutes to put the visitors ahead but Archie MacRae levelled the scores shortly after the half-hour mark to ensure the sides went into the half-time break on a par.

The scores remained 1-1 until the 79 minute when Jay MacRae scored a second for Shiel to earn them maximum points and a famous win.

Skye men’s seconds sealed their place in the final of the Strathdearn Cup with an emphatic 8-0 win over Lovat in Portree.

Skye took the lead inside the second minute through Lachlan MacLeod.

Archie MacDonald scored twice, Iain MacLellan hit a hat-trick while Harry Speed and Iain MacInnes were both on the scoresheet.

In the Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup semis Skye ladies hopes of glory were ended by a Badenoch side that proved too hot to handle.

Rhianna Kirk was on the scoresheet for Skye but Badenoch earn a place in the final with a 5-1 win.

Skye men’s firsts recorded their second win on the spin with a 2-1 victory over Lovat, Ruraidh MacLeod and Daniel MacDonald were on the mark for Kenny MacLeod’s side.

In football, Sleat and Strath swept aside Portree  to book their place in the Ross Cup semi-finals, Ben Yoxon was among the goals as he scored a brace to help steer Callum Browett’s team into the last four.

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