Barra hospital

Barra hospital stopped accepting patients 18/7/11

St Brendan’s hospital in Barra stopped admitting patients since Thursday due to staff illness resulting in a shortage of nurses.

Any islander requiring hospital treatment faces a 150 mile trip to Stornoway. The health board is reassessing the crisis today.

MP Angus Macneil has raised the issue with the health board.

Mr Macneil said: “This is causing many in Barra a lot of concern.

“I have also raised with NHS Western Isles again the absence of midwifery cover on the island and I have been assured that temporary arrangements have been put in place.”

He added: “I hope that whatever happens the local health board will put a contingency plan in place to ensure that if this situation happens again, they will provide 24 hour cover at the hospital to ensure that there is no need to fly patients to other hospitals.

The health board said there was an unusually high level of staff sickness absence in St Brendan’s Hospital and it was decided on Thursday - for a temporary period - to fly incoming patients to Stornoway.

The board says staffing levels are satisfactory for the current inpatient population in St Brendan’s.

NHS Western Isles Interim Nurse Director Nigel Hobson said: “With patient safety as our main priority, we have taken the decision to temporarily transfer any new patients requiring admission to hospital, to Western Isles Hospital.

“Pre-existing contingency arrangements for patients who are acutely ill or require transfer for specialist care remain in place, and there is no change to these arrangements.”

The absence of midwifes on Barra has also forced urgent cover arrangements.

No women are near their expected delivery date on the island, and expectant mothers on Barra have been informed of the present arrangements.

Should advice be required, this will be available over the phone 24/7 from Western Isles Hospital or from Uist midwives.

A GP with obstetric experience is also available on the island if needed, and any expectant woman requiring emergency care would be airlifted to another hospital, as is normal practice.

Nigel Hobson said: “The current situation is challenging, but the temporary arrangements in place in Barra will ensure that the safety of patients is maintained. Arrangements for acutely ill patients remain as normal. The situation is being closely monitored and normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.”