Dave Thompson MSP

AFTER months of behind the scenes work to ensure progress on the creation of a new dental facility in Portree, Highlands and Islands MSP Dave Thompson was horrified to be told this month that NHS Highland intended to postpone work on the facility and immediately contacted health officials in Inverness and Edinburgh to find out how work could continue.

Following NHS Highland's confirmation that funds for both the Portree Dental Surgery and Broadford Medical Centre would remain in place, Mr Thompson said: "I am absolutely delighted that a way has been found to allow these two important developments to go ahead in the next financial year.

"Portree Dental Surgery is a vital facility for the population of Skye who have been disadvantaged for too long but soon they will benefit from not only a new dental surgery  but also the additional salaried NHS dentist I was able to announce on Monday. In addition I am delighted that my intervention was also instrumental in ensuring the Broadford Medical Centre will go ahead as planned."

Note:

A press release issued by Mr Thompson on Monday included the passage:

But on a more positive note, Mr Thompson was delighted to hear that NHS Highland had been successful in recruiting a new salaried NHS dentist to work on the island from the end of April.

"I am told this is a Scottish dentist who has been working in Spain and is now keen to live on Skye," the SNP politician said.

"That fondness for Skye is vital because one of the most frustrating things health managers find is that many of the specialist medical staff they need to recruit seem to have a fear of what lies beyond the metropolitan areas of our country.

"Well I can tell them what they will find if they look outside the towns and cities - a beautiful countryside which offers an unrivalled lifestyle and environment and a warm welcome from the local population."