Health Board crisis

Last night in the Town Hall, over 400 people came to protest about the mismanagement of the Western Isles Health Board by the current top tier of management. It is great credit to Angus Graham and Angus MacCormick that they have managed to motivate so many people to attend on a wintery evening to show their support for the fine work done by the staff, despite management.

The following key points came out of the meeting:

• The staff are wonderful, but morale is suffering
• Staff are being bullied mercilessly
  
• Everyone wants the Western Isles to keep the local accountability of the Health Board
• No-one believes that the Chief Executive and Chief Executive are working in the best interests of the Western Isles
• The patients are suffering, as care is being trimmed
• The freebie travel arrangements for senior management are a disgrace
• The Executive need to act, and not avert their eyes.

It is clear that the staff believe that there is a hidden agenda to merge with Highland Health Board, and I am in agreement with them. The question is, "Who set that agenda?"