NHS Western Isles

Our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant

NHS Western Isles are proud to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant.  

NHS Western Isles are committed to supporting the armed forces and their families, ensuring that they are treated fairly and not disadvantaged due to military service. 

We have policies in place to support staff (staff from service families). For example, we have parental leave, carer leave, compassionate leave, and bereavement leave that could be used in exceptional circumstances. 

About us

NHS Western Isles provides health services to the citizens of the Western Isles. 

The Western Isles, or Outer Hebrides, is an archipelago of 11 populated islands located 40 miles off the North West coast of Scotland.  There is a distance of 130 miles from the Butt of Lewis in the north to the Isle of Barra in the south of the chain.   

There are three hospital sites within NHS Western Isles. The largest is the Western Isles Hospital, a Rural General Hospital located in Stornoway, providing a range of hospital acute inpatient and outpatient specialities. Uist and Barra Hospital is located in Benbecula, and provides a local service for the population of the Uists and Benbecula. The hospital provides GP Acute and Midwifery led maternity services.  Visiting services provide outpatient services. St. Brendan’s Hospital, is a small hospital located in Castlebay on the Isle of Barra and is in a shared building with a local authority care home facility. This hospital provides urgent care, inpatient and other services.