Geographical Exposure 

Located in the North of the Outer Hebrides, just South of the Isle of Lewis, the Isle of Harris is a small and exposed island renowned for its natural beauty. Since the west coast of the island is directly exposed to the Atlantic Ocean, it has been shaped by continuous wave action and erosion. This has created the expansive beaches of Luskentyre and Scarista. In contrast, the east coast of the island is sheltered from the Atlantic coast and defined by rocky headlands and inlets. This fragmented geography has resulted in spread out settlements that require long travel times to access, limited transport infrastructure and overall, landscape that is vulnerable to climate related disruption. 

Healthcare Access and Isolation 

With a population of just under 2,000 people, Harris relies on 2 GP surgeries, one in Tarbet and one in Leverburgh, for all the island’s primary care. While the standard of care is very good across the two surgeries, neither practice has an A&E department and there is no hospital. If a patient requires urgent treatment, they must travel up to 1.5 hours by road to the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway. If a patient requires specialist treatment, they often have to travel as far as Inverness or even further afield as Stornoway’s Hospital is not equipped for all specialities. Access to secondary care is mostly dependent on ferries and flights which are frequently affected by weather related cancellations and delays. So, whilst the healthcare on Harris is not bad, it is good care that is delivered in a very difficult environment.  

Opportunity for Resilient Healthcare Infrastructure  

With the combined effects of geographical exposure, very limited emergency provision and climate dependent transport, a gap in infrastructure has been highlighted. If a centrally located health hub between the two GP surgeries was to be introduced, this would alleviate the pressure on travel and support more accessible urgent care and specialist treatment. Furthermore, if the new health hub was to be integrated alongside a new ferry port to facilitate medical boats and other transport links, the overall connectivity of the west coast of the island would be strengthened. These opportunities therefore present The Isle of Harris as a compelling site for exploring decentralised healthcare in remote island contexts.