NHS Orkney is to get an additional £45,357 from the Scottish Government to cope with the added pressures that it faces over the winter period.

Across Scotland NHS Boards will in total be awarded an extra £10million to support  winter resilience measures.

Jeane Freeman, Health Secretary in the Scottish Government said:

“We know winter creates particular pressures on our health and social care system. It’s important that we are well prepared and that’s why we are allocating funding earlier than ever before.

“This investment will ensure boards can put appropriate plans in place – particularly to make sure people are discharged in a timely way when it’s safe to do so, and that the right staff are in place throughout the system.”

The money tops up the additional £9million which was allocated to support unscheduled care all year round.

After having had such a warm summer it is perhaps difficult to recall how bad last winter was. It was an extremely difficult one for health and social care as people succumbed to the flu and other respiratory illnesses .

GP surgeries were put under increasing pressure as were A & E as people sought help. Figures are available on the Health Protection website.

GP consultations for influenza-like illness (ILI)

You can see how the number of people affected and going to their GP jumped from this next graph.

People were encourage to get the flu vaccine: particularly the young, elderly and vulnerable.

 Photo GARETH EASTON

1,469, 626 vaccinations were administered up to the 21^st January 2018 compared with 1,449, 870 for the same period in 2016/17 this was despite a campaign to encourage more people to be vaccinated.

Parents of 2-5 year olds across Scotland were encouraged to take advantage of the free flu vaccine available from their local GP  in a bid to protect children from the virus.

A & E Departments were put under further pressure as people slipped and fell in wintry conditions.

It is hoped that releasing this additional funding early with allow Health Boards in Scotland to be winter ready.

Reporter: Fiona Grahame