Every health centre to close for World Cup bank holiday

ALL health centres in Shetland will be closed on Monday for the so-called ‘World Cup’ bank holiday.

Both the Lerwick and Scalloway UHI Shetland campuses will be shut too.

The public holiday is taking place on Monday 15 June to mark Scotland’s participation in the football World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Scotland’s first match in the World Cup will be against Haiti in Boston, with kick-off taking place at 2am UK time on Sunday morning.

Shetland Islands Council had previously kicked out the idea of giving its many staff a holiday, with the cost estimated to be around £140,000.

But NHS Shetland said it was obliged to observe the public holiday after a direction to all Scottish health boards from government.

As such, all health centres will be closed on Monday. The walk-in clinic at Grantfield in Lerwick will be open, however.

All community pharmacies will be open.

NHS Shetland said if someone is ill when their practice is closed and they cannot wait for it to reopen, they should call NHS 24 on 111 if registered at a mainland Shetland practice.

For people registered in Unst, Yell or Whalsay, folk should call the usual practice phone number for further information.

Further advice regarding non-urgent health matters can also be found at www.nhsinform.scot.

UHI Shetland’s campuses are also closing down on Monday to both staff and students.

Elected members meanwhile were unanimous at a meeting in February that the council should not introduce an additional bank holiday for staff on 15 June.

Some councillors felt given that the match was held in the early hours of Sunday, there was plenty of recuperation time before Monday.

One councillor called it “absurd” and another described it as “bizarre”.

It came just days after first minister John Swinney had encouraged the SIC to get into the “spirit” of the World Cup and grant the holiday.

A number of Shetland venues will be staying open late to allow folk to watch the Scotland-Haiti game.

Late licenses through to 4am have been granted for premises in Lerwick, Sandwick, Scalloway and Mossbank.

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