Campaign Update, Day 10

Today's report on the dispute, carried as the lead article on the front page of The Oban Times, contains a quote from Tracy Ligema, the NHS bureaucrat who initiated the changes to our nurses' out-of-hours provision - and it's interesting because it shows how untenable her position is. The key words are, "the community nursing service will continue to provide planned care both in and out of hours for patients with long term conditions and those requiring end of life care at home." This, incidentally, also marks a slight change, as previous such references did not mention patients with 'long term conditions'.

As I read it - and I'd be grateful if someone would correct me if I'm wrong - this means that our District Nurses will continue to work out-of-hours if they have to attend a patient who falls into one of these two categories but not if the patient is a 999 emergency.

• We had a strongly supportive article on page 2 of yesterday's Press & Journal, here, which quotes extensively from the public statement made by our two GPs - many, many thanks again to Dr Colebrook and Dr Topham.
• The Oban Times carried a front page article in today's edition - preview here - again featuring our GPs' statement.
• Please, if you have the time, write to both these papers giving your personal views on our situation. Email the P&J at pj.editor@ajl.co.uk, and the Oban Times can be contacted at PO Box 1, Oban. PA34 4HB, or at editor@obantimes.co.uk.
• Charles Kennedy has taken up our case with NHS Highland.
• Dave Thompson, MSP, has spoken to Tracy Legema of NHS Highland and is awaiting a response from her.
• We are tremendously grateful to those of you who have written personal letters to either Alex Salmond or Nicola Sturgeon or both. There's still time to do this - a downloadable template for a letter, which can then be edited in Word, is here.
• A reminder to all local residents that the Community Council is holding an emergency meeting on Monday night at 8pm in Kilchoan Community Centre.