Urgent NHS transfers to go ahead amid Hial walkout

An air ambulance. Photo: Ronnie Robertson. 

NHS Shetland have confirmed emergency patient transfers will be taking place over the three days of strike action affecting island airports.

Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd staff are taking industrial action over pay deals with Sumburgh Airport affected on 21st, 22nd and 23rd February.

Air ambulance flights will be taking place so urgent transfers will not be affected, should patients need to be taken off-island for treatment.

However, the health board admitted there will be some disruption.

In a statement, NHS Shetland said: “Some therapies, tests and procedures are being cancelled to ensure that we are minimising the risk to patients, with limited access to some of the supplies, equipment and transport we would normally have available at short notice.

“We have already contacted all those who have been affected by these cancellations and we are rescheduling the appointments.”

NHS Shetland added that should anyone have appointments outside of the island then they should contact the hospitals directly to rearrange.