Highland Hospice restricts visitors as coronavirus fears take hold in Inverness

Highland Hospice has said it will be cancelling a number of its services until further notice to protect vulnerable groups and staff.

The By the River coffee shop in the hospice is to close, a postponement of day therapy services got under way this morning and visitors to the in-patient unit are restricted to immediate family only.

Highland Hospice supports patients and families from across the north of Scotland.

In a statement released by the charity, it said: " Due to the rapidly evolving situation regarding COVID-19, Highland Hospice is taking the following measures until further notice to minimise non-essential visitors and footfall into the hospice in order to protect our most vulnerable groups and staff/volunteers.

"We will be closing our By the River coffee shop situated within the hospice with immediate effect.

"Our Day Therapy service will be postponed from Monday, March 16. Alternative non face-to-face services will be put into place.

"We are asking that visiting to our In-patient Unit is restricted to immediate family only."

It continued: "In the case of events such as Strictly Inverness in May, we are following government guidelines and taking the necessary precautions to plan for the eventuality of postponement, which we acknowledge is a very real possibility."

Supporters of Highland Hospice can still visit its new café, In the City, in the Eastgate Shopping Centre.

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