Highlands could lead in health care

Sir, It’s sad that the Highland health board’s excellent clinical diagnostic skills do not extend to its administrators.

The board could save millions on unnecessary bits of paper simply by switching to the IT systems currently used by the Army Medical Corp at Fort George. Indeed, Fort George’s expertise could be used to help NHS Scotland save a billion just by better records management and emailing appointments directly to patients or their families.

The Inverness people must understand that one in 10 hospital beds is blocked by patients who do not require sophisticated help but there is no social care available. Emptying Glasgow beds to a ‘step down’ local unit such as Oban would reduce waiting times and save cash.

Rather than delaying things for yet another 10 or 20 years, NHS directors must allocate resources to both cut costs and improve patient care — a win for everyone and the Highlands could be the leading healthcare area in Scotland very quickly. Mike Foster, Sannox, Crannaig a Mhinister, Oban.