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Western Isles Hospital telephone line restored after ‘major’ fault kept it out of use for most of the day

NHS Highland sign outside Western Isles Hospital
The hospital is the biggest in the Western Isles.

Western Isles Hospital’s telephone line is back up and running after a “major” fault meant people were unable to call the Stornoway health facility for most of the day.

The lines were down for more than nine hours, causing major disruption to the health board.

It had put in place alternative ways to contact the hospital – and to help those in an emergency.

A post on NHS Western Isles’ Facebook page said: “The Western Isles Hospital phoneline has now been restored. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

The fault impacted calls made to the hospital’s main phone number – 01851 704704.

Those who had an urgent or important call were advised to alternatively contact 01851 706672.

Western Isles Hospital has been praised by inspectors.
Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway.

It comes just days after Shetland’s communications were completely cut off due to a damaged subsea cable.

Phones and internet on the islands were rendered useless on Thursday after the cable connecting it to the mainland was damaged, believed to be by a fishing vessel.

Western Isles General Hospital is one of three hospitals run by NHS Western Isles and is the largest in the Outer Hebrides.

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