NHS bosses have made clear that medics are still on hand to deal with emergencies at a Highland hospital despite its casualty department being out of action.
Thurso’s Dunbar Hospital’s minor injury unit has been shut since the pandemic began because of staffing shortages.
Would-be patients instead have to go to A&E at at Caithness General, 20 miles away in Wick.
Earlier this week, health campaigners raised concerns the temporary closure might become permanent after noticing the signs for the unit had been covered up.
NHS Highland moved to reassure Caithness Health Action Team (Chat) that the closure is temporary, and that the unit will reopen when vacancies have been filled.
And now, the health board’s district manager for Caithness has also assured locals that emergencies will not be turned away at the Dunbar.
Christian Nicolson said: “Should someone with an injury turn up at the door, staff will do all they can to help and support.”
She explained the signs had been covered over to avoid “walk-ins”, particularly visitors to the area unaware that the unit is closed.
“We were having staffing issues prior to the outbreak of Covid which resulted in frequent ad-hoc closures,” Mrs Nicolson added.
“The requirement to staff at very short notice a Covid assessment centre with experienced staff with advanced skills exacerbated this issue in that we were looking at the same pool of staff who covered the unit.
‘We fully intend to reopen the unit’
“For that reason the decision was taken in March 2020 to close it on a temporary basis.
“While that closure has been longer than expected, it is still the case that we fully intend to reopen the unit.
“While I cannot give a precise timescale at this point, please be reassured that we are doing all we can in the background to get to a point that we can reopen.”
Ron Gunn, vice-chairman of Chat, welcomed Mrs Nicolson’s assurances.
“We are, of course, happy that they are making clear that they wouldn’t turn folk away in an emergency,” he said.
“That is welcome but while we appreciate that they are short-staffed, we are continuing to press to get the unit back up and running on a 24/7 basis.”
Mr Gunn said the unit serves west Caithness and north Sutherland and the longer it remains closed, the more fears grow about its future.
He added: “We’re concerned managers could say that the area has managed without it for two years and decide to close it permanently.”