The ribbon-cutting ceremony has taken place for a long-awaited pharmacy to serve an Inverness community.
Around 3,000 people will benefit from the new Care Pharmacy in Cradlehall.
Situated at Cradlehall shopping centre, the new pharmacy will save residents a four-mile trip to the closest alternatives at either Milton of Leys or Tesco Inshes.
With almost 700 public responses, Highland Health Board acknowledged that they had received the highest response rate to the NHS Community Pharmacy public consultation for Cradlehall and Westhill of any they had previously received.
Councillor Duncan Macpherson, who has been pushing for the pharmacy since his days on Cradlehall and Westhill Community Council five years ago, was asked to cut the ribbon.
He said: “This day has been long anticipated by the local community and having easy access to a local pharmacy will save residents having to make a four-mile round trip just to reach the next nearest pharmacies. This will greatly benefit young families along with the elderly and infirm within the area, in equal measure.”
Mo Ameen, who runs the business, said: “We’re thrilled to finally be open and serving the community.
“The pharmacy application to NHS has taken almost five long years, and it wouldn’t have been possible to achieve this opening without the groundswell of support from the local residents of Cradlehall and Westhill.
“This was led by the sterling efforts of Councillor Duncan Macpherson and the Community Council who have worked tirelessly to achieve this milestone moment.
“We are living in unusual and challenging times and I think having a new pharmacy for local people to access is very important.
“It will reduce the need for trips to GPs who are always very busy, and by enabling patients to get access to minor ailments treatments and medicines through the new pharmacy without the need for a GP practice appointment, will be hugely beneficial to the whole community.”