A FEW high-profile cases, such as that of the former rugby player Matt Dawson, have helped to raise awareness, but there is still serious concern about whether enough is being done about Lyme disease. With the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) now naming the Highlands as one of the areas in the UK that has a particularly high risk for the disease, the question is: what can be done to tackle the threat?

A good place to start would be the suggestion from Nice of a large UK-wide study into the condition so the scale of the problem can be ascertained. The organisation has also suggested better information and guidance for GPs so they do not miss the symptoms. This makes a lot of sense because detecting Lyme disease early means there is a much greater chance of treating it effectively.

There are also some other relatively easy steps that could help. In parts of the United States, for example, the signage and warnings about Lyme disease are very clear, and Scotland could learn from its example.

Regular signs warning visitors where they are likely to pick up ticks, and how to deal with them if they do, would cost money of course, but in the longer term money would be saved by preventing people from ending up in hospital. Lyme disease is an increasingly serious problem in Scotland – it’s time we took some serious steps to tackle it.