Patients given ready meals

STAFF at a hospital had to visit a supermarket to buy ready meals for patients after an oven broke down.

The drastic measures were taken by nurses at Portree Hospital on Skye, who took orders from patients then went shopping at the local Co-op before finally feeding the three people on the wards.

Campaigners claim the hospital is being downgraded as there are plans to create a new hospital in Broadford on the island.

Local councillor John Gordon told The Press and Journal that Portree Hospital showed a ‘disregard for a rural area’.

He added: ‘Staff morale is low and the fault lies with the management. If this was a business, those managing would have been out the door a long time ago.’

A spokesman for NHS Highland insisted it is working towards re-staffing Portree Hospital and claimed the microwave meals were simply a contingency plan.

He said: ‘There was plenty of food in the hospital. The oven broke down so lunch could not be cooked.’