Update: Demand reversal of NHS Shetland travel policy

Tavish Scott raised the issue with Nicola Sturgeon today and she said she would raise the matter with NHS HIGHLANDS - this can be viewed on the Scottish parliamentary video clip; however, the transcript reads: "NHS Shetland has already provided assurance that decisions about travel arrangements will continue to be clinically led, and patients for whom ferry transport is not suitable will continue to be offered air travel. It is vital that the board ensures that it continues to provide high-quality direct patient care for the people of Shetland, and we will continue to work with it to reduce the number of patients who need to travel at all, for appointments or treatment, by expanding the use of video consultations on Shetland, for example. I will ensure that Tavish Scott’s comments are conveyed to NHS Shetland, and I am sure that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport will be happy to meet him to discuss the issues in more detail." Not all patients are automatically given the option of flying. I think the issue of local appointments and video links is a separate issue to the MAIN issue, that being that in line with the Patients Charter, a legal requirement, is for patients to be treated with respect and dignity, plus HITS refers to travel being paid for.  It does not dictate the method by which patients should travel.  That is the main issue, not whether or not visits to Aberdeen are required. There has been no consultation, this whole idea of consulting a 'patients forum' by the looks of it means that they contacted an internal group within NHS Shetland led by some staff to encourage patient involvement.  To me, a patients forum should be patient-led.  We should not be discriminated against yet at the moment, we are being.  I'm happy to set up a campaign to do more but in the meantime, see the second petition link. The budgetary infrastructure as to who pays for what needs examination:  NHS Scotland negotiate direct with Loganair yet it is NHS Shetland's budget being used, isn't it? People should be told who attended this meeting because there are more than 10 on the board ... if they are not prepared to state how they voted and be held accountable, then they shouldn't be on the board.  The NHS collectively belongs to each and every single one of us, the board are merely the guardians.