A Rothesay man has launched a petition calling on NHS Highland to bring local kidney dialysis services to Bute as soon as possible.

Joe Johnstone launched his petition after speaking to The Buteman about his experiences of travelling to Inverclyde Royal Hospital in Greenock three times every week for dialysis treatment.

Joe, the youngest of four island residents currently forced to travel to the IRH for the treatment (though he has told us that number will soon rise to six), spoke to us in the week that he and his fellow patients had to have their treatment cut short after bad weather disrupted the island’s ferry services.

“It was a nightmare - we were one hour late and our treatment had to be cut,” Joe said. “If it happens once your body can just about live with it but you can’t take the risk of it happening again and again.”

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