Nwicker60
10-May-12, 15:58
David Stewart calls for HIE viability assessment
DURING health questions at the Scottish Parliament today Highlands & Islands Labour MSP David Stewart asked the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Nicola Sturgeon, MSP, to instruct HIE to carry out an economic appraisal to assess the viability of basing a manufacturing hub for medical isotopes in Caithness and North Sutherland.
This question from David Stewart arose as a result of research into this issue and his drive to establish how best to utilise a multi-skilled nuclear related workforce already based in the Caithness and North Sutherland area.
A medical isotope is a small quantity of radioactive substance used in cost effective imaging and treatment of disease. They can be used to treat thyroid disorders, cancer and arthritis.
There are 10,000 hospitals worldwide which use medical isotopes, although there are none in Scotland and there is one in England based in Oxfordshire.
Speaking this afternoon David Stewart said “ I am very pleased with the response I received from the Cabinet Secretary for Health. She seemed very positive and agreed to approach HIE to establish if they would carry out an economic appraisal of this potentially huge market and of course the knock on benefits such a market would bring to the Highlands, particularly Caithness”.
DURING health questions at the Scottish Parliament today Highlands & Islands Labour MSP David Stewart asked the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Nicola Sturgeon, MSP, to instruct HIE to carry out an economic appraisal to assess the viability of basing a manufacturing hub for medical isotopes in Caithness and North Sutherland.
This question from David Stewart arose as a result of research into this issue and his drive to establish how best to utilise a multi-skilled nuclear related workforce already based in the Caithness and North Sutherland area.
A medical isotope is a small quantity of radioactive substance used in cost effective imaging and treatment of disease. They can be used to treat thyroid disorders, cancer and arthritis.
There are 10,000 hospitals worldwide which use medical isotopes, although there are none in Scotland and there is one in England based in Oxfordshire.
Speaking this afternoon David Stewart said “ I am very pleased with the response I received from the Cabinet Secretary for Health. She seemed very positive and agreed to approach HIE to establish if they would carry out an economic appraisal of this potentially huge market and of course the knock on benefits such a market would bring to the Highlands, particularly Caithness”.