A wide range of health services in Orkney is delivered by NHS Orkney with some specialist services provided on mainland Scotland by other health boards such as NHS Grampian in Aberdeen and NHS Highland in Inverness.  NHS Orkney is the smallest health board in Scotland but is responsible for providing many of the services that the larger health boards do.

Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall has six wards, a day hospital, a day surgery unit and departments including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, casualty, outpatients, audiology, radiography, pharmacy, an oral surgery unit and a decontamination unit.  Currently there are plans for a new purpose-built hospital for Kirkwall.  There are three consultant surgeons delivering general surgery.  Patients do not always need to travel south for consultations with their consultants, as telemedicine means video conferencing can be used when appropriate.  Specialists also travel to Orkney to conduct clinics and cut down on waiting times and referrals for patients having to travel. 

Patients who do travel south have their transport arranged through their GP and can choose to go by plane or boat.  Patients who need emergency treatment that cannot be delivered in Orkney are transported by Scottish Air Ambulance which operates fixed wing aircraft based in Aberdeen and Glasgow and helicopters based in Glasgow and Inverness.  Back-up is supplied when needed by the MoD and coastguard.

GP services with nurse practitioners attached are delivered in two surgeries in Kirkwall and surgeries and clinics in Stromness, Dounby, St Margaret’s Hope, Evie, Eday, Rousay, Stronsay, North Ronaldsay, Sanday, Shapinsay, Longhope and Westray.  Papa Westray, Flotta and Eday have no resident GP but do have visiting doctors and nurses.  School nurses and health visitors work through the Children’s Services Department.

In April 2010 NHS Orkney and Orkney Islands Council signed an agreement to work in partnership for community and social health, launching Orkney Health and Care.  It aims to deliver integrated care services to the people of Orkney and is seen as a pioneer of these services in Scotland.  Services it covers include primary medical services; dental health; community pharmaceutical services; general ophthalmic services; community nursing, mental health, school health, drug and alcohol services, learning disability services, services for older people and sexual health services.  Orkney Health and Care uses modern Telehealth systems so patients can monitor their own vital signs in their homes and reduce their travel to health centres.  There are also plans for a health and social care facility to be built in Kirkwall with 40 places to meet both long term social and health care needs and short term respite and rehabilitation for older people.

There are two NHS dental clinics in Kirkwall and one in Stromness.  However there is a waiting list for registration of approximately two years.  A private dental practice in Kirkwall also provides dental services.

Complementary health therapists offer a wide range of services in Orkney too.