Caithness General Hospital

Caithness General Hospital is a rural general hospital operated by NHS Highland, located in Wick, Caithness, Scotland. It is managed by NHS Highland.[1]

Caithness General Hospital
NHS Highland
Caithness General Hospital
Shown in Caithness
Geography
LocationCaithness, Highland, Scotland
Coordinates58°26′29″N 3°5′39″W
Organisation
Care systemNHS Scotland
FundingScottish Government
TypeRural General
Services
Emergency departmentYes
Beds44
History
Opened1986
Links
Websitewww.cgh.scot.nhs.uk

History

The hospital became operational in 1986 to replace the previous Caithness Central Hospital.[2] A new Day Case Unit was opened by Sam Galbraith in 1999.[3] A CT scanner service was introduced in August 2008.[2]

The hospital formerly had a consultant-led maternity unit, but stringent application of clinical risk assessment criteria meant that in 2012 and 2013 around 30% of pregnant women in the Caithness area needed to travel to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to give birth.[4] In November 2016 the NHS Highland board approved the introduction of a community midwifery unit.[5]

Services

Capacity

The hospital has the capacity to accommodate 68 inpatients: 20 medical beds, 42 surgical beds, and 6 beds in the midwifery unit.[6] Its services include: 24-hour Accident & Emergency department, assessment and rehabilitation, general medicine, general surgery, midwifery and palliative care.[7]

Emergency surgical services

In December 2014 the health board announced that emergency surgical services would not be available at night or weekends from 15 December 2014, due to a lack of suitable consultant cover.[8] A meeting between the health board and community leaders to discuss staff shortages was then scheduled for 6 January 2015.[9]

Community midwife unit

In January 2017, the hospital completed the introduction of a midwife-led unit.[10] As of 2015, there are an estimated 136 births a year at the hospital; it has full accreditation as baby friendly, since November 2009.[11][12]

Hospital radio

Radio Remedy is a volunteer-run radio station based at the hospital.[13]

References
  1. "Caithness General Hospital". NHS Highland. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  2. "The Duke of Rothesay visits Caithness General Hospital" (Press release). NHS Highland. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  3. "Galbraith visits Caithness General Hospital" (Press release). Scottish Government. 17 March 1999. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013.
  4. "Caithness women travelling 100 miles to give birth". The Scotsman. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  5. "Maternity plan for Caithness General approved by NHS board". BBC News. 29 November 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  6. "services". www.cgh.scot.nhs.uk. NHS Highland. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  7. "Wick's Caithness General 'meeting most' hygiene rules". BBC News. BBC. 6 November 2013.
  8. "Caithness General to stop overnight and weekend surgery". BBC News. BBC. 8 December 2014.
  9. "Talks to be held over Caithness General consultant shortages". BBC News. BBC. 23 December 2014.
  10. "Midwife-led unit introduced at Caithness General in Wick". BBC News. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  11. "Baby Friendly accreditation: Caithness General Hospital". Baby Friendly Initiative. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  12. "Caithness maternity unit receives international recognition". NHS Highland. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  13. "Radio Remedy". Radio Remedy. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
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