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Dunbar x-ray plan slammed


By Will Clark

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The Dunbar’s physiotherapy gym could be switched to the hospital’s X-ray department but that would mean the end of X-ray examinations in Thurso, according to the North Highland Community Health Partnership.
The Dunbar’s physiotherapy gym could be switched to the hospital’s X-ray department but that would mean the end of X-ray examinations in Thurso, according to the North Highland Community Health Partnership.

A PLAN which could see patients at the Dunbar Hospital in Thurso making a 40-mile round trip to have an X-ray has been criticised by a local councillor.

John Rosie claimed proposals which involve the transfer of X-ray examinations to Caithness General in Wick will prove awkward for patients in the west of the county.

His remarks came after the North Highland Community Partnership announced it is considering making the change to accommodate a new physiotherapy gym which would be located in the current X-ray department at the Dunbar.

Mr Rosie agreed improvements are needed to current physio provision, but stressed this shouldn’t be at the expense of another vital service.

“Physiotherapy services provided at the Dunbar are essential at this end of the county,” he told the Caithness Courier.

“However, so are X-ray services. Moving these to Wick will prove to be of great inconvenience to patients based in the west of the county. Even the simplest of scans will now result in a round journey of 40 miles – I think that is a bit too much to ask.

“Improved physiotherapy facilities are required in the west of Caithness, but I am not sure transferring X-ray services to Wick is the best way of achieving this.”

The proposal came after pre-healthcare environment inspection and follow-up structural property inspection found the current physiotherapy gym at the Dunbar was unsuitable for the treatment of patients due to the poor fabric and layout of the building. A number of building issues were also found, the most serious of which related to subsidence.

Locality general manager Pauline Craw said the proposals are currently being ?considered by CHP and no final decision has been taken at this stage.

However, she admitted transferring X-ray services to Wick appeared to be the best way of retaining current physiotherapy services in Thurso.

“In its current condition, the physiotherapy gym is not fit for any healthcare purpose,” she said.

“The best option appears to have the building demolished and create a new physiotherapy gym in the X-ray department.”

She added: “The move to transfer X-ray services to Wick would not save us money. In fact, it would cost more money as the X-ray department would have to be completely refurbished. However, the move would enable us to continue providing a physiotherapy service at the Dunbar.”

North Highland CHP general manager Sheena Macleod told CHP committee members underpinning the building to rectify the subsidence would cost more than £150,000.

She believed the transfer of services would benefit patients requiring physiotherapy as it would mean the gym could be retained locally and provided in an improved environment.

“Even if this money was committed, the current physiotherapy gym, although structurally sound, still would not be fit for purpose,” she said.

“As a consequence, the management team is considering the possibility of relocating the physiotherapy gym to the X-ray department at the Dunbar, which will provide vastly improved facilities, including individual patient treatment rooms.”

More than 1100 patients a year currently receive physiotherapy at the Dunbar with 700 X-ray examinations also being carried out annually.

Mrs Macleod said work is ongoing to determine whether outpatient clinics at both hospitals could be reorganised to ensure clinics requiring X-ray support are carried out at Caithness General Hospital.

Will these plans affect you? Get in touch via e-mail at ? editor@nosn.co.uk or comment on this story online at www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk


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