Caithness.org News Bulletins

Aug 2002 Index

Caithness.org News 2002 Index

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September 2002

Highland Health Council would like to thank everyone who took the time to contribute to the ‘Caithness Voices’ events in Wick and Thurso last week. The events were an attempt to do something different to involve as wide a selection of views from the community as possible. The Health Council did not want to set an agenda but wanted local people and NHS staff to express their views, concerns and opinions about their community’s health services.

Chairman Margaret Dakers Thomson says ‘We really appreciate the time and effort people took to come along, take part in the discussions, and to help us get a fuller picture of particular concerns in the area. Hopefully those who spent the day with us found it as enjoyable and as informative as our staff and members all did. People who could only pop in can be assured their views have been recorded and will be incorporated into the feedback which we are currently compiling’. She adds ‘Highland Health Council is planning a series of these events throughout the region and we learnt a lot from the Caithness experience. All the views expressed from these events are valuable and will be passed on to the Trusts and Board’.

Feedback from the Wick event, which had an encouraging turn out, has been very positive with most contributors feeling they had achieved a better understanding of the challenges facing health service managers especially in recruitment and retention issues. Reaction to the presentations from local GP and Clinical Lead of Caithness Local Health Care Co-operative, Iain Johnston, General Manager of Caithness General Hospital, Sheena Craig, and Alison Phimister Local Services Manger for the Primary Care Trust in Caithess was very positive. People not only felt they had received a lot of valuable information but appreciated the opportunity to express their views directly to the people in charge and really have them listened to.

The second event in Thurso Town Hall saw the community turn out to give quick comments and take away forms to fill in and return to the Health Council.

Although Highland Health Council aim to publish the results of these events as soon as possible it’s not too late to have your say. You can still put your point across by calling us or asking for a form to record your views on health service needs in the area. Please contact Highland Health Council, Freephone 0800 834017 or Freepost SCO2643, Inverness, IV3 8BR.