NHS Orkney Information

NHS Orkney is the smallest health board in Scotland, with a budget of some 55.6 million. With its headquarters in Kirkwall, NHS Orkney is responsible for providing a comprehensive health service for the island communities. NHS Orkney employs around 750 staff. The Balfour has 49 beds. Currently NHS Orkney, as part of its service redesign process, is looking to ensure that the use of these beds supports the needs of the local population. Lying off the north-east coast of Scotland, between John O'Groats and the Shetland Isles, Orkney is a group of 70 islands and skerries, 17 of these are inhabited. Houses and farms are dotted all over the gently rolling landscape and the sea is never more than a few miles away. The Gulf Stream passes close by giving Orkney a surprisingly temperate climate. Frost and snow are rare, but it is very windy with the landscape dominated by the panoramic skies. There are often dramatic changes in the weather and it is said that you can experience all four seasons in the course of a few hours. The days are short and dark in winter, but in the summer it is possible to read a newspaper or play a round of golf at midnight in the long, light nights of June and July. Although Orkney is geography isolated, the islands are well served by several transport links to Scotland. Orkney is a wonderful place to live and work and offers low pollution, low crime, excellent schools, good leisure facilities, unique wildlife and amazing scenery. Imagine living and working in a place where modernity and history come together in an exhilarating mix. Orkney is just this place. But dont take our word for it - come and see for yourself! Please feel free to visit the island and the Balfour Hospital where you will find a very warm welcome.