View Full Version : healthcare provision in caithness
After a nightmare xmas where my 3 month old son and i were choppered down to raigmore on xmas night (i wonder how much that cost us taxpayers) after an hours wait in the back of an ambulance, before they made the decisiin to use the chopper, i find it disgusting that there is no facilities for hospital child care in the area. It turned out he had acute bronchiolitis and was taken well care of in raigmore by the staff. the fact that it takes 2 odd hours to get down there just beggers belief to other families in similar situations to mine. If they dont want to provide for us all up here then adequate transport is required. i was in such a state i didnt have time to take much money and also had a car seat and bags. so when it came to getting back up the road i was told they couldnt assist me. even suggesting i take the 4 hr train journey with all bags child and car seat in tow. id have to pay for a taxi also. yet some staff were saying that they were sure the hospital wld be able to help as we were brought in by ambulance. in the end a family friend left work early to drive all the way down. im just glad to be home and the wee one is slowely on the mend. an email has been sent to john thurso and ms sturgeon about our ordeal as it wasnt the first time we have had to deal with silly govt hospital politics. Id be interested to hear if other people here have had to deal with stresses and expense of caring for a loved one 2 hours away from other family in raigmore when by rights we should all have the facilities to deal with it in wick or thurso hospitals? on aplus note i would like to say a big thank you to the docs and nurses at raigmore for keeping me sane and llooking after my little one when i had only had 2 hours sleep.
canadagirl
29-Dec-11, 19:19
Get in touch with social workers at the hospital. They should be all over it. Where I am in Canada (on an island) if you go to hospital by helicopter you and escort get free transport back home. I would have thought that most "civilised" countries would have the same sort of policy.
cptdodger
29-Dec-11, 21:35
Good lord, the whole scenario is shocking Retrodj. I know exactly how frightening that is, my daughter, who was two months old at the time (1997) was diagnosed at the doctors with broncholitis, I must admit I had never heard of it. We had to take her straight to the hospital, the difference between you and me is, at the time, I lived ten minutes away from the hospital. The consultant there warned us she might die, however, she is a healthy 14 year old now, but I will never, ever forget that fear. I do not know how you even got through having to be transported to a hospital over a hundred miles away. I will say this, having lived in both England, and Scotland in places that have major hospitals, which might not be perfect and there are waiting times, but at least the facilities, which you come to expect in the 21st century are there, and available. This is sadly not the case in Caithness. I honestly do not care, how nice the staff are at the hospitals here, it does'nt really make any difference, if you can't get the treatment you require. Just remember, you are paying the same amount in NI contributions that anybody else in Britain is, but, for sub standard facilities. Retrodj, I hope your little boy is on the mend now
Something has to be done about it. It effects everyone but more kids and the elderly who are more vulnerable. My little one is still poorly but on the mend. This virus is very common in kids aged between birth and 2 years old and is very contageous. Christ knows how many others up here will catch it in the winter.
I have emailed Rob Gibson, Nicola Sturgeon and John Thurso as my scenarios spans back to september when he was born and I had to fork out for accommodation and worry about my other son up here whilst my wife was recovering and my little one was in baby care unit for a while.
My wife and I have had enough and this is why we sent the email. I pray he doesn't catch it again or we will be back down there once more. A 2 and a half hour ambulance journey is not on at the best of times. livestock havemorerights than uswhen itcomes to transport.
In the email I invited Nicola Sturgeon to come up here and drive the journey from Inverness toThursoand then get the 4 hour train journey back down in the winter so that she could experience it for herself.
cptdodger
30-Dec-11, 18:46
I know exactly what you mean, after my daughter got out of hospital I made all my friends with babies and young children aware of bronchilitis, as I said, I had never heard of this illness, I thought she just had a cold. Rest assured, they would not have released your little one unless they were confident he would be fine - especially due to the fact you are so far away from Raigmore. It is such a frightening thing when it's one of your children that's ill, you just want to take there place. Having said that, you want to be able to concentrate on your child getting better, and certainly not having to worry about transport and accommodation. It's terrible in this day and age that families have to be split up, just because the maternity facilities are not up to scratch here, it is just not acceptable on any level. Good luck with the MP's, it seems to me that if any issue is north of Inverness, they just do not care. In my case, I have what is termed as a chronic ilness, I have now been left high and dry without a consultant, so it looks like I will have to travel to Dundee to see the relevant consultant - but, I am an adult, I will cope with that if and when I have to. I honestly had no idea before I moved here, just how basic the facilities are, it is just not acceptable.
cptdodger is close to the mark saying, "any issue is north of Inverness, they just do not care." It might well be that we are not considered economically viable and the politicians would be happier if we were all living in high-rise flats in Inverness. I doubt any politician is going to be interested since the area is so sparsely populated and there are so few 'brownie points' to be gained by creating a stushie. Apart from John Thurso and Rob Gibson I wonder when any politician of any note last visited the far north.
Your wee one was better off in raigmore - they have the skills and experience to deal with children. I know the journey wasnt the nicest but you got appropriate care. Glad you little one is on the mend x
cptdodger
30-Dec-11, 22:07
Your wee one was better off in raigmore - they have the skills and experience to deal with children. I know the journey wasnt the nicest but you got appropriate care. Glad you little one is on the mend x
The point we are trying to make Tafkal is, in this day and age, Retrodj should not have had to go to Raigmore with his baby to receive appropriate care - it should have been available here - without question. We pay the same amount of tax and National Insurance as people that live in Inverness and other cities, but we get sub standard facilities, trust me, people in cities do not and would not put up with this lack of care.
Apart from John Thurso and Rob Gibson I wonder when any politician of any note last visited the far north.
Alex Salmond the First Minister was up here in April.
Your wee one was better off in raigmore - they have the skills and experience to deal with children. I know the journey wasnt the nicest but you got appropriate care. Glad you little one is on the mend x
The staff at Raigmore were brilliant Tafkal, and I am glad that he was being treated by competant professionals. However, as cptdodger was saying, Wick, atleast should have most of the facilities to cater for people of the area.
Had, there been a childrens ward in wick that could treat kids in these situations (I am not saying major operations etc) then I would not have been worrying about my child AND how i was going to get us home or where I would sleep or how much money I had left for my meals. I would also havebeen able to drive from Thurso to Wick and take turns with my wife at being by my babies bedside.
I am not even sure it is getting the qualified people up here. If it was, then Im sure some good packages like relocation allowances etc could be put together. I really just think the Highland Council and NHS see us as cost cutting exercise.. Take the maternity ward in Wick for example. They are sending expectant mums down to Raigmore even though they may not even need to go..
I would like anyone else on here who has been in a similar situation with their kids, elderly relatives, pregnant mums who have given birth, that had to be taken to raigmore when they could have been treated in Wick or even Thurso if we had the facilities, to post their experiences here.
My experience, I feel could have been avoided. How much did it cost, I wonder for the helicopter ride and all the staff on christmas overtime amounts to get my child to Inverness? Thousands probably.
i know some one that had to go to raigmore for the birth of their baby after having problems with the last one that ended in tragic. She was there for 3 weeks as baby was in no hurry to come she was booked in carley court to share a room with 2 men and hubby could not get accommodation or afford it so they both slept in they car in the car park as he did not want to leave her miles for home on her own in case things went wrong and he lost her too. I personnal would not want to share a room with 2 men i did not know would you miss sturgeon.
cptdodger
31-Dec-11, 00:51
It just gets worse, my deepest condolences to your friends Starfish, and I hope everything went okay with this pregnancy. Gronnuck, it is irrelevant how many people live north of Inverness, whether it is sparsely populated or not, you must stop devaluing yourselves, everybody up here is as important as anybody else in Britain. This is worse than living in a third world country here, when a nine month pregnant lady has to sleep in a car for three weeks, that is beyond unnaceptable to say the very least, and like you Starfish, I would certainly not have shared a room with two men, these poor people must have been terrified beyond reason that something was going to go wrong with this pregnancy without having to contend with that stress as well. As Retrodj was saying, you have to get together and basically bombard the MP's with these, for want of a better expression, horror stories, because from what I have read on here it has been horrific for the parents involved. Nobody will do it for you. Now, if I cannot get the treatment I require here, I will move, simple as that, but it's not that simple for people that come from here to move, they will have families here, jobs here, and to be honest, why should you have to? When I moved here, apart from moving North, it was like I had moved back in time, and it's just not good enough for any of you.
Now, if I cannot get the treatment I require here, I will move, simple as thatOK, so that fixes everything. What are you bleating about?
witchschild
31-Dec-11, 09:48
If you had lived in Orkney or Shetland then its a trip to Aberdeen you would have taken - very scary on your own with an ill child. IF there was a children's ward in Wick then again where would the money come from - staff would have to be sent wouth to get the appropriate number of hours training required to be deemed competant since the number of kids needing hospitalisation are very small compared to areas of large population. Yes it's all down to money but as a mum who has had to go to Raigmore with a youngster I would rather make that journey to a centre which is equiped to deal with child health to make sure all the correct equipment and level of care is available.
cptdodger
31-Dec-11, 11:29
OK, so that fixes everything. What are you bleating about?
Well done Phill, you have ignored every valid point I have made about the lack of care for children here and picked up on the one point I made regarding myself. You are clearly quite happy to accept the fact you are being treated like second class citizens that are not entitled to proper healthcare. And Witchschild that level of care, and correct equipment should be available here, not 120 miles south, regardless of cost.
OK, so that fixes everything. What are you bleating about?
My thoughts exactly Phill. Everyone that's born here accepts that you need to go to Raigmore for specialist treatment, every small Town cant be equipped with facilities "Just in case".. And anyone moving here should check out very carefully what Caithness can offer and what it cannot!
If you dont like it then you have to move, it really is that simple because you aren't going to get large city hospitals in the Far North no matter how much you bombard Gibson, Thurso or Sturgeon!
C3................:roll::roll::roll:
cptdodger
31-Dec-11, 11:51
[QUOTE=Corrie 3;916707]My thoughts exactly Phill. Everyone that's born here accepts that you need to go to Raigmore for specialist treatment, every small Town cant be equipped with facilities "Just in case".. And anyone moving here should check out very carefully what Caithness can offer and what it cannot!
If you dont like it then you have to move, it really is that simple because you aren't going to get large city hospitals in the Far North no matter how much you bombard Gibson, Thurso or Sturgeon!
Thankfully, I was not born here, and yes, I did check "very carefully" before I moved here that a relevant consultant was available for the treatment I required. That said consultant has now left, and now the hospital is having difficulty replacing him, but as I pointed out to them the last time I was there, they will have difficulty, because, who would move here unless they had to?
I am afraid that that is one of the problems of living up in the Highlands. Taxes would have to rise if every hospital was to have the full facilities. Also the way the NHS is going is that they are making certain hospitals as 'centres of excellence', so that more specialist care can be given. As you said Raigmore give excellent treatment and that is what you were after.
Last month when they thought I would need emergency bowel operation, I was transferred from Wick to Inverness and was happy to as I knew they had a bowel expert there and not at Wick.
Yes I was amazed that you had to find your own way home but that is the norm now and has been for a long time. When my mum was in Aberdeen hospital and lived in Tomintoul, some 70 miles into the hills, she was told either someone would have to pick her up or she would have to call a Taxi. Mum was in her 80's then and could not walk unaided.
People when asked generally say they would be happy to pay more tax but it is normally the party who say they will cut taxes who are elected. When taxes are cut, services have to be cut too.
Alice in Blunderland
31-Dec-11, 12:05
That said consultant has now left, and now the hospital is having difficulty replacing him,
Are they ? I didn't think the post had been advertised yet. :confused
Here in Western Isles - it is the same, aircraft if you are lucky to either Inverness or Glasgow if anything they cannot deal with in hospital here or even worse wait for the weather to abate to get on ferry then drive from Ullapool to Inverness/Glasgow.
This is one of the main things to consider when moving to these areas (which the rest of UK consider remote and inaccessible), but which most of us choosing to live here accept as part of living in such a beautiful, safe, relatively unoccupied part of the UK.
If you are unhappy or find parts of living in these areas unacceptable for whatever reason be it not enough shops, not enough buses, not enough entertainment, not enough cafes, not enough of anything - simple advice move further south where facilities are to hand when and if you may need them. Every requirement is unable to be catered for in such sparsely populated areas and this is accepted by most of the people who live in these communities.
If you wish to fight for better health care why stop at trying to get a Pediatrician, what about a Cardiovascular surgeon to deal with all heart problems, return of Obstetricians to enable more children to be born in Caithness rather than Inverness.
The list is endless as to what people want and what is feasible in our communities.
Alice in Blunderland
31-Dec-11, 12:17
A good report on remote hospitals and many will recognise the author. This is in relation to general medicine however it is the same in all fields.
http://www.rcpe.ac.uk/publications/rarm/shalcross.pdf
Well done Phill, you have ignored every valid point I have made about the lack of care for children here and picked up on the one point I made regarding myself. You are clearly quite happy to accept the fact you are being treated like second class citizens that are not entitled to proper healthcare. And Witchschild that level of care, and correct equipment should be available here, not 120 miles south, regardless of cost.Unfortunately the NHS, Highland or anywhere, does not have a cash limitless budget. To provide specialist care to every remote & rural community would bankrupt the country if they could ever staff it, additionally it would be a waste of precious resources.
There is a lack of suitable skills & experience in Caithness NHS, that is true, however it is still a general hospital covering a small number of people and there has to be a balance. It needs improvement, so does the system of getting patients to the requisite hospitals.
Whilst the system supporting people getting specialist care at specialist centres is not perfect, it is the best way of provisioning it. In a certain way it romoves the 'postcode lottery' because you get taken to the care you need. In some cases you may get better treatment than if you were living in a major city.
Yes, there needs to be a sufficient system in place to return patients & their escorts / carers home once treatment has been provided. (There is a Patient Transport Service but off the top of my head I do not know how the rules play out for getting people home.)
I'm afraid the reality is that North of Inverness we fall into a subclass with just about service provision, and with healthcare it isn't on your doorstep for every conceivable illness or injury. But then that is the same across the UK.
You can claim travel expenses - ask the receptionist for a form and on completion, go to the Cashiers office and you will get at least some expenses. They will deduct a £1.00 for anyone on benefits and £10 if not.
A good report on remote hospitals and many will recognise the author. This is in relation to general medicine however it is the same in all fields.
http://www.rcpe.ac.uk/publications/rarm/shalcross.pdf
Thanks Alice, I was trying to find something similar earlier.
Alice in Blunderland
31-Dec-11, 23:07
Thanks Alice, I was trying to find something similar earlier.
No problem Moira.
This debate has reared its head on more than one occasion and its a case of location, location, location. We are rural and as such its not possible to provide all services right on our doorstep. It would be nice however its never going to happen. As outlined in the report there are many contributing factors as to why we cannot have it all. The answer to this is to have good prompt access to the facilities. Now if this is an issue then complain by all means.
How about those who were referred to Raigmore during pregnancy, then discharged, then the expected consultations not forthcoming from CGH happening and both hosps thinking you are under the care of the other?
Or not having your partner/birthing partner booked in to Kyle Court so they can be with you at the birth?
Or a wee one taken down in the middle of the nght and the parent has nothing on them cash/card wise and no accomodation..they had to go with the bairn..there and then... and unable to stay in Kyle court?
Its a long way really!
This debate has reared its head on more than one occasion and its a case of location, location, location. We are rural and as such its not possible to provide all services right on our doorstep. It would be nice however its never going to happen. As outlined in the report there are many contributing factors as to why we cannot have it all. The answer to this is to have good prompt access to the facilities. Now if this is an issue then complain by all means.
Exactly.
We cannot expect millions of pounds to be spent on specialist paediatric (or any other for that matter) facilities in an area with such a low population.
It's not a case being second class citizens, or of not getting out NI contributions worth.
As for the NHS funding transport home, or accomodation for adult partners etc, I'm sorry, but I don't agree with it. There's not enough money in the system to pay for all the healthcare and treatments available, the last thing they should be doing is paying peoples taxis home.
with all the building that has happened over the last 9 years in thurso and scabster all 3 and 4 bed houses for families to encourage growth in the highlands but on the other hand services are being cut if a ambulance has to tale some one tsouth then we have one less for a day to cover and dunbar and caithness general having services cut . I think the goverment want thier cake and eat it . if they want to encourage new life into the highlands they need services and jobs to go with it
People have to get down to be treated, sometimes rushed down in their jammies etc.
Now how do you expect them to get home?
Its ok shove em on a bus..what they have no money?...how did they get here anyway?....helicopter at 3 am...sod it they be able to get home!
a friend went down in the week for an appointment to find it had been cancelled 4 hours plus travelling and a days wages lossed
People have to get down to be treated, sometimes rushed down in their jammies etc.
Now how do you expect them to get home?
Its ok shove em on a bus..what they have no money?...how did they get here anyway?....helicopter at 3 am...sod it they be able to get home!
I agree that in these circumstances some sort assistance should be available.
Maybe a short term loan for a bus/train ticket etc.
But to expect the NHS, who are here to treat illnesses, to pay for taxi's etc home (as some people evidently do) is ridiculous.
with all the building that has happened over the last 9 years in thurso and scabster all 3 and 4 bed houses for families to encourage growth in the highlands but on the other hand services are being cut if a ambulance has to tale some one tsouth then we have one less for a day to cover and dunbar and caithness general having services cut . I think the goverment want thier cake and eat it . if they want to encourage new life into the highlands they need services and jobs to go with it
What 3 and 4 bedroom houses are these?
What did the government have to do with them?
my point is that thurso and scrabster has grown in population huge new estates have gone up so but the goverment are cutting services all the time but they are getting extra revenue for the taxes from these exxtra households
gingernut
01-Jan-12, 16:09
my point is that thurso and scrabster has grown in population huge new estates have gone up so but the goverment are cutting services all the time but they are getting extra revenue for the taxes from these exxtra households
The population of Thurso is falling not increasing, especially the number of children. You only need to look at the falling school rolls to see that. "Huge new estates"???? Pretty much all of these new houses are occupied by people who already lived in the area previously who have upsized.
The long and short of it is that there is not enough money going into the pot to pay for specialist services in remote and rural areas.
As for NI contributions, one visit to hospital will wipe out a typical persons 10 years worth of NI contributions and what about the millions who don't even pay NI contributions? They all get free NHS care too that has to be paid for.
beetlecrusher
01-Jan-12, 17:00
Don't get me started Ginge ;)
gingernut
01-Jan-12, 17:20
Don't get me started Ginge ;)
Ha ha. Happy New Year Beetlecrusher.:lol:
beetlecrusher
01-Jan-12, 18:14
And to you :lol:
Alice in Blunderland
01-Jan-12, 21:09
Some figures to help us to see how the population has changed
Caithness population
1994 27,417
2004 25,164
projected 2024 23,846
past percentage change -8.2
projected percentage change 2004 2024 -5.2
Past and projected population 0-15 age group
Caithness
1994 6,330
2004 4,768
projected 2024 3,482
past percentage change -24.7
predicted percentage change 2024 -27.0
Interesting figures Alice.
Thanks!
There could be the possibility surely of a consltants posts being rotated in a similar way as the police I think do it. For example if you work for NHS highland you can expect that you will have to do say, 2 years in a remote hospital. You could choose to do longer but not to skip it altogether. That might work but would mean costs for accommodation and you couldnt cover every specialism although you would think it would work for obstetrics/gynaecology. Those doctors training in Aberdeen are required to do part of their training in Highland so it might work as an extension of this. It is however a part of living in a rural community and something you should be researching if thinking about moving to Caithness. Being far away from hospitals was certainly something we thought carefully about when we made the move up from Rochdale. We decided it was worth taking the risk but others may not. The only time we needed emergency care outwith what could be provided at Caithness General it was arranged quickly and being airlifted to Raigmore saved my life and gave me confidence in the health service and a reason to be thankful. Sure i had to get my own way home but I was just glad to be feeling better.
David Banks
01-Jan-12, 22:44
Get in touch with social workers at the hospital. They should be all over it. Where I am in Canada (on an island) if you go to hospital by helicopter you and escort get free transport back home. I would have thought that most "civilised" countries would have the same sort of policy.
Although I do not have statistics to back me up, I fear that you, canadagirl, may have unintentionally painted too-rosy a picture of Canada.
In the case of an illness, the first requirement is an accurate diagnosis, and the second is to find the closest location able to treat the illness. We have lots of really remote and small communities in Canada without medical professionals able to diagnose ailments. Remote in Canada means much greater distances and much more severe weather conditions than anywhere in Scotland. I have a feeling that our first nations will not share your confidence in OUR health care system.
As a child in Caithness, I too had a weak set of lungs and my fair share of trips to Raigmore - accompanied by a very worried mother. I have no doubts that I am alive today thanks to the skills of the local doctors and the facilities of Raigmore.
But, and yes, here comes the but, I think it is unreasonable to expect the same level of medical expertise and care if one lives in a remote location. There are the benefits of fresh air and peace and quiet in remote places, but there are also greater risks. I expect that there are several medical conditions which Raigmore cannot handle, and where hospitalisation in Edinburgh, Glasgow or even London are necessary. How does one set up a "system" to cover all contingencies? I do not know the answer.
I agree that having practical assistance for a parent alone in Inverness is a reasonable expectation, and I am so glad the wee one is OK now.
P.S.: Some of the details.
My mother drove me to Raigmore which was a 5 or 6 hour trip in those days. She was driving our old Austin 10, side valve. Half way up the south side of the Berriedale Braes (the road used to go all the way to the bottom !), the car "quit." My mother proceeded to take out the plugs and clean them - yes, she did know how to do that - she knew how to drive a variety of vehicles. My treatment started with a "bronchiogram" which involved taking xrays of my lungs with some form of liquid in them to help identify the blockage. I just remember waking up on a "Nelson bed" (head down, arse up, feet down) coughing up whatever they had put in there. My mother visited me every day and she was allowed a few extra minutes over the strictly controlled "visiting hours." I do not know where she lived - as there were no family friends that in knew about in the area. Ah, mothers! Please excuse the gory details - that was just the way it was!
canadagirl
02-Jan-12, 06:34
I don't know about the rest of canada but in the far west here no matter how remote you are they pay for transport home after being airlifted. We (my son and I) just spent 6 weeks in hospital. Accomodation was provided for me in his room, with kitchen facilities in the ward, meal vouchers given, and vouchers to local grocery. Full transport back home paid for (not provided). Also they will pay for (again not provide) transport to follow up appointments at same hospital as is necessary and is a 5 hr trip with ferry. The last thing a parent needs in crisis is to worry about money or where to stay or anything. It's all part of a group effort of care. I say lobby your people to provide the same sort of thing, it's better for patients health. It's no so bad to go away for care if they look after the whole family as a unit. We all accept (I think) the practicalities of specialists in a rural area, but it can and should be less stressful for patients and their families. It's a lot cheaper to provide some meals and bus/ferry tickets than salaries to specialists.
People have to get down to be treated, sometimes rushed down in their jammies etc.
Now how do you expect them to get home?
Its ok shove em on a bus..what they have no money?...how did they get here anyway?....helicopter at 3 am...sod it they be able to get home!
My point exactly.. Had I been able to drive down I would have been ok for getting home. However, as this was not the case I was off to dunbar in my jammies. Albeit a tshirt and shorts under my hastily put on trousers and top...
There could be the possibility surely of a consltants posts being rotated in a similar way as the police I think do it. For example if you work for NHS highland you can expect that you will have to do say, 2 years in a remote hospital. You could choose to do longer but not to skip it altogether. That might work but would mean costs for accommodation and you couldnt cover every specialism although you would think it would work for obstetrics/gynaecology. Those doctors training in Aberdeen are required to do part of their training in Highland so it might work as an extension of this. It is however a part of living in a rural community and something you should be researching if thinking about moving to Caithness. Being far away from hospitals was certainly something we thought carefully about when we made the move up from Rochdale. We decided it was worth taking the risk but others may not. The only time we needed emergency care outwith what could be provided at Caithness General it was arranged quickly and being airlifted to Raigmore saved my life and gave me confidence in the health service and a reason to be thankful. Sure i had to get my own way home but I was just glad to be feeling better.
I agree. A childrens ward in Wick for minor things is fine...
Either that or they upgrade the road between here and inverness to make it a bit quicker to get there.
Either that or they upgrade the road between here and inverness to make it a bit quicker to get there.
One simple question. Where is the money going to come from??
One simple question. Where is the money going to come from??
they seem to be keen on dualing the A9 to inverness.. why stop at inverness? just keep going.
but not completed until 2026. Also a lot more traffic use the A9 to Inverness than Inverness to Thurso
One simple question. Where is the money going to come from??
How about through using all of the money taken in road tax, instead of the current situation where only 20-30% of it goes on roads?
How about through using all of the money taken in road tax, instead of the current situation where only 20-30% of it goes on roads?
How much road tax is collected from the Highland Region? Not enough to pay for a better road system north of Inverness, methinks.
How about through using all of the money taken in road tax, instead of the current situation where only 20-30% of it goes on roads?
Then what do we use to replace the 70-80% currently spent on other things?
[QUOTE=gingernut;916893]The population of Thurso is falling not increasing, Pretty much all of these new houses are occupied by people who already lived in the area previously who have upsized.
so what has happen to all the empty small houses these people have upgraded from. are they all empty
so what has happen to all the empty small houses these people have upgraded from. are they all empty
A lot of them are now owned by younger singles or couples as opposed to families.
But there does also seem to be a lot of ex-council/authority housing for sale at the moment.
Either that or they upgrade the road between here and inverness to make it a bit quicker to get there.No point.
http://w1.phillrawlins.com/oldsite/images/gsasaegpcsm.jpg
178 Mph
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/Phill_Rawlins/gsasd.jpg
339 Mph
Thet threatened me with the helicopter on new years day 2010.
No time for that as Euan wasnt hanging around.
I was supposed to go down to Raigmore to have him on the 3rd and the ambulance wasnt going down with the weather and the helicopter wasnt going either, by the time they found out he was born anyway, without complications and all was well!
Labour of 20 mins versus organising and getting a chopper???
Could have made an interesting entry on his birth cert....xx ft above ?? as a place of birth though!
Labour of 20 mins versus organising and getting a chopper???
A fully equipped maternity hospital every 15 miles along the road is the only answer to that!
With the first one I had the drive to Inverness at 1hr 30. With the second I scraped it down to 1hr 15.
There's only so long you can listen to the puffing, blowing and whining.
Yes, but, if there was any complications with Euans blood sugars ~(I had gestational diabetes) he could have been choppered off by himself and a medical team and I would have had to make my own way there (wherever, there could have been any neo natal unit with space ) after just giving birth or being without my baby....that is just asking for problems!
gingernut
03-Jan-12, 00:38
Yes, but, if there was any complications with Euans blood sugars ~(I had gestational diabetes) he could have been choppered off by himself and a medical team and I would have had to make my own way there (wherever, there could have been any neo natal unit with space ) after just giving birth or being without my baby....that is just asking for problems!
A fully equipped Special Care Baby Unit every 15 miles along the road is the only answer to that!
Thats not practiable, seriously, but denying a mother who has gone through a harrrowing birth and needing medical care of her own to determine her life and finding out her baby is in another hospital miles away is not great, is it? and how on earth is the partner going to spend his time..a baby in neo natal in one hosp....and his partner in another a couple of hours away if lucky!Its asking for great stress on the relationship and where is the mother baby bonding?
And the previous children being somewhere else...grannys hopefully?
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