ISLANDERS are facing a round journey of over 200 miles and a possible overnight stay for a procedure previously conducted in their local hospital after services were suspended.
NHS Highland has confirmed it is halting its endoscopy service at Mackinnon Memorial Hospital in Broadford, Skye, from the middle of next month.
It will not be restored until a new hospital is built on the island although a final decision on where to locate this facility has still to be taken.
Around 600 endoscopies, commonly used to investigate the stomach, large bowel and bladder, are performed a year in Broadford, but now islanders will have to travel to Inverness or Fort William.
The former is 88 miles from Broadford and the latter 83 miles. But some communities in the north of the island are nearly 50 miles from Broadford.
The financially troubled NHS Highland said there were technical problems including the washer disinfector being at the end of its life and the separation of clean and dirty items.
A statement from the health board said there had been a series of recent equipment breakdowns highlighting the additional cost of running the service.
It said: "This has prompted further work on the financial aspects.
"The Head of Microbiology has recommended that service be suspended until the environment is improved."
It is understood the saving would be around £92,000 a year for NHS Highland which is trying to save £22.4 million before next March.
Dave Thompson, SMP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said: "I understand that the condition of the Mackinnon Memorial may be a problem, but surely it is not beyond the wit of man to find a work around in the interim until the new hospital services are available."
Broadford has been named the preferred location by an NHS Highland steering group, but many want it to be in Portree.
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