The unannounced Safe Delivery of Care inspection, undertaken in June 2026, examined care within the Emergency Department, Renal Unit, Ambulatory Care/Day Surgical Unit, as well as Ward 3 and Ward 1.
Inspectors identified eight areas of good practice and recognised the commitment of staff in delivering safe, effective and person-centred care despite the challenges faced by remote and rural health services.
Highlights include:
- Calm, well-organised ward environments with strong multidisciplinary teamwork
- Positive feedback from patients and carers, who described staff as “making the unit feel like home” and “could not do enough for them”
- Effective hospital-wide safety huddles supporting patient safety and operational oversight
- Strong support for student nurses, newly qualified nurses and international nurses
- A positive workplace culture, with staff describing the Gilbert Bain Hospital as a good place to work and with supportive senior leadership
The inspection identified thirteen requirements relating to governance processes, training compliance and protected leadership time. NHS Shetland has agreed an action plan and work is already underway in these areas.
The report notes ongoing improvement work including enhanced training programmes, leadership development initiatives, strengthened workforce planning arrangements, quality improvement activity relating to paediatric care, and a programme of whole-system redesign to improve patient flow and reduce delays in transfers of care.
Furthermore, NHS Shetland’s strong performance in key areas was acknowledged including, emergency care performance, patient flow, patient experience, support for workforce development and collaborative working across the whole system.
Professor Kathleen Carolan, Director of Nursing and Acute Services for NHS Shetland, said: “We are pleased that HIS recognised the high standard of person-centred care provided by colleagues at the Gilbert Bain Hospital, and of the compassionate and positive culture that exists in the organisation.
“We acknowledge the areas identified for improvement and welcome the comprehensive feedback provided through the inspection process. As a small rural health board, we continually seek opportunities to learn and strengthen our services for the community. We are committed to ensuring that the required improvements are fully implemented and that we continue to provide, safe, effective and high-quality care in Shetland."
Brian Chittick, Chief Executive, for NHS Shetland, reflected on the published report: "I would like to thank all staff who supported the inspection team during their unannounced visit in June. Colleagues across the organisation took the time to participate in interviews, share information and demonstrate the care and services provided to our community every day.
"The report reflects the professionalism, dedication and compassion shown by our teams, and I am pleased that these strengths have been recognised. We welcome the recommendations for improvement and will continue to work together to build on the positive findings and ensure we deliver the highest possible standards of care for people in Shetland.
"My thanks again to staff for their hard work in sustaining acute services in Shetland, sometimes at the most pressured of times, in service of our community."
The inspection report can be found at the following link: Gilbert Bain Hospital, NHS Shetland – acute safe delivery of care inspection report: October 2026 – Healthcare Improvement Scotland