WHB Sutherland Pharmacy - Stromness

17/10/2026

FLU/COVID VACCINE CLINIC SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER. APPOINTMENT BOOKING LINE 01856850205 option 2, WILL BE OPEN FROM 19 OCTOBER 10am-1pm. PLEASE DO NOT PHONE OUTWITH THESE TIMES.

13/10/2026

💙 A warm welcome to Rachel, our new Healthcare Assistant 💙

We're delighted to introduce Rachel, who has recently joined the team as our Healthcare Assistant (HCA).

As this is a new role within Stromness Surgery, we thought we'd explain a little bit about what a Healthcare Assistant does and how Rachel will help support our patients.

Healthcare Assistants are trained members of the clinical team who work alongside our GPs and Practice Nurses. Rachel will be carrying out a range of routine health checks and procedures, including:

✅ Taking blood samples
✅ Blood pressure checks
✅ ECGs (heart tracings)
✅ Height, weight and BMI measurements
✅ Injections

Seeing Rachel for these appointments helps us make sure patients receive the right care from the right person at the right time. It also helps free up GP and nurse appointments for patients with more complex clinical needs.

Rachel will also be supporting us with our Flu vaccination clinic on Saturday 31 October - our phone lines open on 19.10.26 for you to make an appointment.

22/09/2026

All GP surgeries will be closed on Monday. Please remember that this will add an extra day onto any prescription requests made over the weekend

Monday 28 September is a Public Holiday for NHS Orkney. All GP surgeries will be closed on the Public Holiday, but in an emergency you can contact a GP in the same way as routine evening/weekend cover.

If you are ill when your practice is closed and can’t wait until it reopens, you should call NHS 24 on 111. In an emergency you should dial 999.

Community Pharmacy Arrangements on the Public Holiday on Monday 28 September:
🔷Boots the Chemist, Kirkwall – Closed
🔷WHB Sutherland Kirkwall – Open 9am – 5.30pm
🔷WHB Sutherland Stromness – Open 9am – 5pm
🔷Norsepharm Dounby – Open 9am – 5pm

16/09/2026

We are looking for a new team member for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Hours are 9am-2pm but this could be flexible.
Extra holiday cover hours may also be available. Full Medicine counter training will be provided and there may be the opportunity to train up to dispensary level in time.
Please email [email protected] for an application pack

12/09/2026

We are looking for a Saturday worker to cover 9am-2pm, must be age 15 yr or over. Pop into the shop for an application form or email [email protected]

22/07/2026

We’re not sure how the wasps heard that it was the first day of Shopping Week but they realised quickly. If you get stung please pop along to the pharmacy and we can give you something to make it feel a peedie bit better, there is also a supply at the Eventide Club with the Shopping Week committee, or alternatively find Dawn down the street! 🐝

21/07/2026

We are experiencing our annual pre-Shopping Week rush today. Along with sewing, painting and glueing this week, the folk of Stromness like to have their prescriptions “ready for Shopping Week”, just like at Christmas!
Due to the increased demand, a busy shop and being a bit short staffed we’d like to remind everyone to wait 4 days after requesting their repeat prescriptions, please wait for the text message if you’ve signed up for that. We appreciate your patience.

18/07/2026

Public notice 📣

With the help of ALFIK Shore Base Services - Plant hire we will be putting up the stage and flags tomorrow (Sunday) so need the area in front of the stage, to be free of vehicles from 1130 to approximately 1400.

Please can any cars be shifted tomorrow for the short time we need that space.

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20/06/2026

Please request all scripts before Tuesday 23rd as the surgery will have no access to their computers on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. Any requests made after Tuesday will have a delay in processing time until normal service resumes

GP Practices System Upgrades

From next week, week commencing 20 June, we will begin our system upgrades to all GP Practices across Orkney. This programme of upgrades will take place across summer with each practice being affected for a minimum of two days. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the timetable for your practice in the notice below. These times may be subject to change and we’ll do our best to ensure they are updated and are as accurate as possible.

This programme is being rolled out across NHS Scotland, the upgrades are designed to modernise our primary care IT systems, improving performance and resilience and ensuring a consistent and secure platform for the delivery of patient care for the years to come.

During the migration process GP Practices will remain open however will only be able to accommodate emergency care and appointments. Throughout these periods, please utilise the other options available, where practical, NHS Inform has a wealth of information available online, https://www.nhsinform.scot/ or head to our local pharmacies for pharmacy first care, https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/pharmacy/nhs-pharmacy-first-scotland/.

We’d ask everyone to please order your repeat prescriptions in plenty of time throughout the summer with these upgrades in mind.

You can read more including the full timetable on our website here, https://www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk/gp-practices-system-upgrades-emergency-appointments-only/

17/06/2026

GP Practices System Upgrades

From next week, week commencing 20 June, we will begin our system upgrades to all GP Practices across Orkney. This programme of upgrades will take place across summer with each practice being affected for a minimum of two days. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the timetable for your practice in the notice below. These times may be subject to change and we’ll do our best to ensure they are updated and are as accurate as possible.

This programme is being rolled out across NHS Scotland, the upgrades are designed to modernise our primary care IT systems, improving performance and resilience and ensuring a consistent and secure platform for the delivery of patient care for the years to come.

During the migration process GP Practices will remain open however will only be able to accommodate emergency care and appointments. Throughout these periods, please utilise the other options available, where practical, NHS Inform has a wealth of information available online, https://www.nhsinform.scot/ or head to our local pharmacies for pharmacy first care, https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/pharmacy/nhs-pharmacy-first-scotland/.

We’d ask everyone to please order your repeat prescriptions in plenty of time throughout the summer with these upgrades in mind.

You can read more including the full timetable on our website here, https://www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk/gp-practices-system-upgrades-emergency-appointments-only/