BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE GEOGRAPHY AND POPULATION COVERED BY THE TEAM
The Public Health team at Western Isles cover the Western Isle geographic footprint. This extends from Ness, on the north coast of Lewis, 130 miles south to Barra ad Vatersay. Currently 15 of the islands are inhabited, and Stornoway, on Lewis, is the capital. The islands have ferry and air links to the mainland Scotland, which lies 54 miles from Stornoway.
The population of the Western Isles in the 2022 census was 26,200. This represents a decline of 5.5% in a decade, the largest in Scotland. The population are older than the national average, with proportionally more residents aged 65 and over than for Scotland as a whole. This demographic structure, coupled with the geographic isolation of the islands, creates a challenging but interesting focus for the public health team.
APPROX PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE CAPACITY
20
HOW THE WORKFORCE IS STRUCTURED AND TYPES OF PUBLIC HEALTH ROLES WITHIN
The public health team at NHS Western Isles works across the three pillars of public health:
- Health Protection
- Health Improvement
- Healthcare Public Health
It also provides the Smoking Cessation Service for the Western Isles. The team are located in several bases across the islands, and work in partnership with stakeholders from the public, private, and third sector to achieve the best possible health outcomes for the local population.