Figures on NHS Scotland workforce, published earlier this week, show that staffing is adapting to reflect changing patterns of care. The ISD Scotland quarterly statistics on NHS staff show an overall workforce reduction of 3,624.4 wte or 2.7 per cent from September 2010 to September 2011.
Thurso Glass Studio home to Glass Creations see www.glasscreations.ukf.net is where glass artist Ian Pearson creates unique glass sculptures for that memorable gift. Contact him now on 07816 762601.
ECS: All schools in Highland were closed to pupils. Information has been prominent on the home page of the Council's web site since Friday.
Highland children learn internet dangers of social media. An innovative project will see more than 10,000 Highland schoolchildren receive advice on protecting themselves against online stalkers over the next four years.
Clean-up teams are repairing minor damage to property at the site after storm-force winds swept Dounreay at the weekend. Some decommisisoning work was put on hold until the weather abated on Sunday.
Almost half the stock of nuclear fuel left over at Dounreay from its research role in the last century is to begin leaving the site next summer. Forty-four tonnes of breeder material from the Dounreay Fast Reactor will be moved by rail from Caithness to Cumbria over a 4-5 year period.
Weekly Update, 28th November 2011 Energy: The Crown Estate held an event in Thurso this week to update the public on progress with wave and tidal energy plans in the Pentland Firth strategic area. Speakers at the well-attended event included John Callaghan (Crown Estate), Stuart Black (Highland Council), Roy Kirk and Norma Hogan (HIE), Pippa Goldschmidt (Marine Scotland), Dan Pearson (Meygen) and Louise Smith (Caithness Renewables).
Highlands & Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, is again calling on the governments at Holyrood and Westminster to urgently increase their funding allocations for broadband. This call from Mrs Grant comes as another bidder, Cable & Wireless, withdraws their tender for the BDUK superfast broadband pilot to be conducted in the Highlands & Islands.
www.bobbysbus.co.uk Bob and Alison Farley moved to Auckengill in September this year. After 12 years of successful trading in Worcestershire, they decided to relocate to their favourite county of Caithness.
Dounreay's demolition yields a £1 million windfall for the north Highlands. It's the first payment by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to a new community-led group that will invest the money in projects to sustain the area beyond the site's closure.
Dunnet Forestry Trust Autumn 2011 News Letter Ee Forest Crack Dear DFT members, The nights are drawing in, autumn is here and its time for another Forest news letter; it's been a very busy summer season in the forest. The Trust's AGM was held on 25th May at Castlehill Heritage Centre and as usual, there were board members standing down, this year Mrs.
Parents of babies who are patients in Raigmore Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) now have access to a two-bedroom house on the Inverness hospital site, allowing parents to be close to the hospital whilst their newborn baby is in the unit. Previously mothers were kept in a hospital bed and often the father could not be accommodated.
Progress on the future provision of Primary Schools in Wick has been outlined this week by The Highland Council. Earlier this month on 10 November, members of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee heard the outcomes of statutory consultations on the proposed amalgamation of Hillhead Primary School and North Primary School and the proposed amalgamation of Pulteneytown Academy Primary and South Primary School in Wick.
Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon took to the slopes with school children to highlight the importance of being prepared for winter. The group braved the chill of a snowy winter wonderland at the SNO!zone Scotland centre in Glasgow's Xscape, to encourage everyone to take a few simple steps to ensure they can take care of themselves and their families and have their own "wonderful" festive period this year.
Antibiotics are a precious resource that we risk losing within a generation if we do not safeguard their use. This is the message from Black Isle GP Dr Gail Haddock, who is calling for much better use of antibiotics as part European Antibiotic Awareness Day.
The Convener of The Highland Council Councillor Sandy Park, who is Chairman of the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Advisory Board, has welcomed the NDA announcement that Babcock Dounreay Partnership is the preferred bidder in the competition to become the new PBO for Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd. He said: "We want to work with the partnership to help diversify the economy of Caithness and North Sutherland.
Consultation begins on phase 2 of consultation on Inverness City West Link Road Project. Consultation begins today (Wednesday) to gauge public opinion on the eight options being considered by The Highland Council for the Inverness City Trunk Road Project - West Link, which will provide a new transport link from the Southern Distributor Road at Dores Road to the A82 trunk road via a fixed link across the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 22nd) sold 94 prime cattle at its Christmas Show & Sale sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland, John M. Munro Butchers, MacRae & Dick Landrover Centre, Highland Industrial Supplies, Highland Tractors, and Scot JCB and judged by Mr.
Forever Fuels Ltd has announce they will commence to produce wood pellets to supply the increasing demand for alternative fuels in Caithness and Scotland. Forever Fuels is a subsidiary of Summerleaze who already has interests in wood pellet production in other parts of the UK.
People in the Highlands are invited to find out more about, and have an opportunity to have their say on the development of Planning for Integration of health, education and social care services in the area provided by NHS Highland and The Highland Council. At three public meetings in Helmsdale (30 November), Inverness (1 December) and Fort William (7 December), Jan Baird, Planning for Integration, Transitions Director will explain how, from 1 April 2012, staff are being brought together into integrated teams to work with children and families and with people who use community care services.