I'm not actually suggesting you throw yourself off a rock and completely bugger your ankle on a Saturday evening. But if you should, somewhere in the catchment for Raigmore Hospital would be a good place to do it because the quality of care I received was top notch. We were staying just outside Aviemore when I stupidly jumped off a rock onto a dry riverbed and I knew instantly I'd broken my ankle. Thankfully we were away en masse so my rugby playing brother in law and dad were on hand to lift me off the river bed and back to the house. A quick call to NHS24 confirmed that the nearest A&E was Raigmore in Inverness and that they wouldn't send an ambulance so an hours drive without pain relief it was - fun fun fun! I arrived at the A&E department at about 8 o'clock was taken straight to triage and in short was on the ward getting ready for bed by 11pm. In the intervening 3 hours I'd be x-rayed, dosed with morphine and nitrous oxide, had my dislocated bones reset, lower leg cast and re x-rayed. Every member of staff I encountered was fabulous. The kindness with which I was treated was so lovely. This was the first time I have hurt myself badly enough, or been ill enough to need emergency care and I was frightened and in absolute agony. Despite workloads that I can only imagine would cripple mere mortals every single person took the time to make me feel at ease and to try and make me more comfortable. My experience continued to be more than positive on the ward. It was spotlessly clean, the nursing staff were very busy but very good at their jobs and kind. I needed surgery on my ankle and this was scheduled for around 2pm on the Sunday. Unfortunately, the theater was really busy with emergency cases so this was pushed and pushed. By 8 o'clock at night I was pretty sure that I had endured nil by mouth all day for nothing and that I was going to have to do it all again the next day. But I was proved wrong and was taken for surgery at 10.30 on a Sunday night, getting back onto the ward at 1.30am. Monday is a bit of blur, what with the effects of dehydration, anesthetic and morphine based pain relief. But by tea time I was a bit more on the planet and able to appreciate the food was pretty damn good too! I was discharged on Tuesday afternoon after a cast change, a lesson on crutches and with a lovely bag of painkillers to see me through the next few days. But feeling like I had had the very best care possible and absolutely ready to fight (one legged for the foreseeable) to protect our amazing NHS and all the superheros who made me less scared, less sore and who gave my ankle the best chance of a full recovery. read more

My daughter presented with tonsillitis, fever and severe dehydration. She is 22 years old and Australian. Thank you ward 3B for taking such terrific care of her. Every phone call made to that ward from Australia was met with the utmost kindness, courtesy and consideration. The staff looked after her so well, I have the highest regard for them! read more

I live 100 miles from Raigmore Hospital so it's a bit of a way to go should I require urgent treatment that I couldn't get in our local cottage hospital. The new Raigmore Hospital was built about 20 years ago, and before that it was just a cluster of small buildings - particularly the maternity wing where my now 30-year-old daughter, was born. Things have moved on since then and Raigmore is able to offer much more. About three years ago my husband was whisked by air ambulance to the High Dependancy Unit because he had contacted pneumonia. He was treated superbly by the highly trained and caring nurses and and doctors. We have only praise for them and what they have to endure when having to treat drunks and drug users who are brought in shouting and screaming abuse because their weekend jollies have got out of hand. I make an annual visit to the rheumatology unit at Raigmore and when given an appointment for, say 2pm, I will usually be seen by the consultant within 20 minutes - having already seen the nurse for the usual weigh-in procedure etc. Until recently, Raigmore had accommodation available for family who needed to stay near to ill relatives - it was called Kyle Court - although I think I heard that this fantastic facility is no longer available. Such a shame because there are people who live much further away than me - the Outer Isles for instance - who bring in sick relatives, especially children, and it was comforting to know that they could stay nearby. They can hardly travel home again and come back next day. NHS cutting costs but not thinking of the impact on families - but that's not the hospital's fault. There is the main hospital and outpatients both of which offer well-run cafes on the ground floors where visitors and inmates alike can enjoy a sandwich, soup and tea or coffee. The staff are very friendly too. In the main hospital there are two well-run WVS shops where you can buy little gifts, flowers, books (good stock of books, by the way!) and sweets etc. I have been both visitor and patient and have found the shops a God-send in terms of reading material and chocolate! There is a huge car park - although at certain times of the day it can be really difficult to find parking near to the hospital which is especially worrying if you have difficulty in walking. The cost is £1 per day. The hospital is clean and the staff friendly and after reading some real horror stories in the press about other large hospitals in the UK - I reckon we have a gem in Raigmore Hospital. read more

Reviewing a hospital is always going to be a bit controversial since everyone has their own experience and opinion and they are all extremely varied but I will provide you with my recent experience. I should confess, at the outset, that I am a health professional but I don't work in Raigmore. I was recently in Raigmore maternity unit to give birth to my baby boy and the experience was completely positive. Baby Ruairidh was born in the birthing pool (not out of any hippy desire to be cool man, more because I refused to get out when I was told it was too late for pain relief). Despite the fact that it was the midwife's first water birth (10 years in the job!) I was treated with respect and dignity and all my wishes were met. The after care was also fantastic, all the professionals I met treated me well. The food is hospital food and not too bad although the portions for nursing mothers are tiny and I would advise that you order all the extras that you can (e.g. fruit, bread etc). The car park is also not that expensive (£1 regardless how long you stay) although spaces can be hard to find at handover (mid afternoon). If you ever have to visit Raigmore as a patient, I wish you a speedy recovery - but go with the knowledge that you are in good hands. read more

Raigmore is the DGH (District General Hospital) for 41% (by surface area) of Scotland. That in itself is amazing.

While traveling in Scotland last month, I fell and hurt my foot so badly that I was unable to walk. After reading Yelp reviews, I decided to take a taxi to the Raigmore Hospital ER in Inverness that evening, rather than waiting to seek medical attention in Glasgow, where we were traveling the next day. I can't say enough about the efficient, caring staff at Raigmore. I waited less than an hour, was examined by an M.D., got several x-rays, and consulted with a surgeon, who concurred with the doctor that I had broken a bone in my foot but would not need surgery. They fitted me with a boot that would stabilize the fracture and gave me Tylenol for pain relief. Total cost: $0, since the U.K. has universal emergency care. The next day, my foot was too painful to put weight on even with the boot, so my husband and son kindly purchased a pair of crutches ($20) so that I could continue our vacation more or less normally! Hurray, Raigmore Hospital! read more