| Lorn & Islands Hospital | |
| Org/Group: | NHS Highland |
| Region: | Oban, Argyll and Bute |
| Country: | Scotland |
| Healthcare: | NHS Scotland |
| Type: | Rural General Hospital |
| Emergency: | Yes |
| Helipad: | Yes |
| Affiliation: | University of Aberdeen |
| Beds: | 66 |
| Founded: | 1995 |
| Website: | Official Website |
| Map Type: | Scotland Argyll and Bute |
| Coordinates: | 56.4001°N -5.4743°W |
Lorn & Islands Hospital is a rural general hospital on the southern outskirts of Oban in Argyll, Scotland. It is managed by NHS Highland.
The hospital was designed by Reiach & Hall using a design solution that has been recognised as particularly well-suited to the local environment.[1] It was officially opened in 1995.[2]
When the Scottish Executive looked at reorganising rural health care in 2004 there were local protests: following this there were calls to work more closely with the Belford Hospital in Fort William.[3]
A new audiology unit was opened by Rhona Brankin, deputy health minister, in 2005.[4]
Since this facility opened it has been possible for a number of services to be run from one location, where previously they had been provided from some smaller facilities located across the district.[5] A range of services are provided and the hospital has 66 inpatient beds[6] and a multi-purpose day hospital.[7]
There is also a midwife-led service to provide maternity care. In September 2009 it achieved stage 1 of the baby-friendly accreditation programme.[8] A multi-disciplinary team treats patients who are admitted to the hospital following a stroke. The stroke team offers continuity to patients from admission to the point of discharge and even into the community, where appropriate.[9] Although plans to offer a dentistry treatment service from the hospital have been approved, by March 2014 there was still no confirmation about when this would be operational.[10]
Palliative care services are also organised through the hospital[11] after the McKelvie Hospital, a small Victorian era cottage hospital in Oban, had closed 2000.[12]