Rural general hospital

The rural general hospital is a concept unique to the National Health Service in Scotland. A rural general hospital is a small hospital, similar to a district general hospital, that serves an area which is "remote and rural", generally with a small population which would otherwise have a long or difficult journey to access secondary care.

These hospitals are all to be found in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Most provide Consultant-led general surgical services and many have Consultant-led general medical services also. A few hospitals have medical services provided by "hospital practitioners", who are general practitioners with extra training. All the rural hospitals have maternity services, generally provided by general practitioners and midwives, although some have Consultant-led services. [cite journal|author=Douglas JDM|title=Remote and Rural Healthcare in Scotland|publisher=Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|year=2005|month=September]

Rural General Hospitals

*Balfour Hospital, Kirkwall, Orkney - run by NHS Orkney [cite web|url=http://www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk/Services/hospital/balfour_hospital.htm|title=Balfour Hospital|author=NHS Orkney|accessdate=2007-11-29]
*Belford Hospital, Fort William, Lochaber - run by NHS Highland [cite web|url=http://www2.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/Health%20Services/Hospitals/Belford/index.htm|title=Belford Hospital, Fort William|author=NHS Highland|accessdate=2007-11-29]
*Caithness General Hospital, Wick, Caithness - run by NHS Highland [cite web|url=http://www2.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/Health%20Services/Hospitals/Caithness/index.htm|title=Caithness General Hospital, Wick|author=NHS Highland|accessdate=2007-11-29]
*Gilbert Bain Hospital, Lerwick, Shetland - run by NHS Shetland [cite web|url=http://www.shb.scot.nhs.uk/healthcare/shetlandwide/gilbertbainhospital/index.asp|title=Gilbert Bain Hospital |author=NHS Shetland|accessdate=2007-11-29]
*Mackinnon Memorial Hospital, Broadford, Isle of Skye - run by NHS Highland [cite web|url=http://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/Services/Pages/DrMacKinnonMemorialHospitalBroadfordHospital.aspx|title=Dr MacKinnon Memorial Hospital / Broadford Hospital|author=NHS Highland|accessdate=2007-11-29]
*Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis - run by NHS Western Isles [cite web|url=http://www.wihb.scot.nhs.uk/Hospitals/WIH.htm|title=Western Isles Hospital|author=NHS Western Isles|accessdate=2007-11-29]

ometimes included

*Dr Gray's Hospital, Elgin, Moray
*Lorn and Islands District General Hospital, Oban, Argyll

References