Chest Unit
Dr David Franklin, Consultant Chest Physician has now retired and his post has been advertised.

Radiology
Dr Helen Shannon, Consultant Radiologist at Raigmore Hospital, took up post in January.

Wick
Dr Harry Olurunda, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, has now taken up post at Caithness General Hospital.

Renal
Dr Maureen Lafferty has taken up post this month as Consultant Renal Physician

Ophthalmology
Dr John Cormack is due to retire from his post as Consultant Ophthalmologist at the end of March and his post will be replaced by Dr Jane MacKinnon, is June.

Work has now begun on the building of the Macmillan Chemotherapy Unit at Raigmore Hospital. It is envisaged that this will be complete by the end of this year.

The business case went to the NHS Highland Improving Health Services Committee in February. This paper examines both need and feasibility of satellite units in Wick and Fort William. Although Fort William was prioritised as high in terms of need, the hospital as it currently functions does not have the necessary space for such a development. At the present time Caithness General Hospital has an area that fulfils the criteria that are minimally required to consider an ongoing development of a facility as part of a phased process. The committee acknowledged the current and increasing pressures on the renal service and the action required over the next year, but full approval has to come from the NHS Highland Board which meets on 2nd April to develop and agree the Health Plan. The Committee also agreed that a solution should continue to be sought for the West Directorate.

New Haematology Analysers, at Raigmore Laboratories, will provide a significantly improved level of service to patients across the Highlands and Western Isles. The analysers will be used for around 150,000 blood tests per year, some of these samples coming from very long distances, which can affect the quality of the samples. The new equipment uses the latest technology, including lasers and fluorescent measuring techniques and will enable an increase in the quality of results and reduce the number of re-tests for patients.

There are approximately 500 people in the Highlands with MS and the post will focus mainly on those patients with moderate to severe illness.

Operational policy and referral criteria will be circulated in due course.

Anne will be based at Raigmore and can be contacted on Ext: 5879