FAQs
What are the objectives of Highland Hospital Radio?
Highland Hospital Radio is the known name of Inverness Hospitals Broadcasting Service (SCIO) and is a Registered Charity in Scotland and operates on a voluntary not for profit basis.
Since its creation in 1970 it has operated as a broadcasting service to patients in hospitals in Inverness, originally the Royal Northern Infirmary and latterly Raigmore Hospital. Its aim was to provide entertainment for patients in hospital and play requested music from friends and relatives of patients as well as music requested by the patients themselves that were collected by a team of Ward Visitors.
The station began broadcasting online in 2021 with the aim to reach a greater number of patients across all areas of the Highlands. We will also be promoting healthy life messages and signposting to a variety of information and support for health in the Highlands.
Can anyone join Inverness Hospital Radio?
As long as you are 16 years of age and older, you can apply to become a member of Highland Hospital Radio. You can do this on our enquiries page here
Do you need to a have a specific skill to become a member?
There is no requirement to have any particular skills or qualifications.
The service is appealing to members for many different reasons; providing a community service; sharing an enjoyment of music; learning new skills or simply getting to meet people.
Our membership have varied backgrounds and talents and the diversity is helpful in working as a team to deliver our service.
How much time do you expect members to offer?
There is no ‘minimum’ time commitment expected from members. Different roles may require different inputs related to tasks.
However, the benefits and experiences that being a member provides, can only exist as long as our members support their existence. We ask our members to support our fundraising activities and awareness events. That could be supporting an event, or attending an outside broadcast to offer support.
What type of roles might I get involved in?
The service offers the opportunity to get involved through various functions:
Programme presenter: (produce and present your own or a request show)
Programme Control: (this can involve scheduling and programme management)
Ward Visitor: (visit wards, talk to patients and gather any requests)
Music library management: (maintain & develop our digital library)
Computer systems: (maintain our 24 hour broadcasting software and hardware)
Social Media management: (support and manage our Facebook and Web page )
Fund raising: (use organisational skills to help fund our projects)
Recording skills: (you may want to get involved in recording interviews or programmes)
Administration and Management (manage projects and deal with day-to-day running)
As well as the above there are the Office Roles of Chair, Treasurer and Secretary and other trustees who oversee the charity.
Can I present my own music programmes?
Yes.
Highland Hospital Radio broadcasts 24/7 and we would like to broadcast as much locally produced programmes as possible.
Several members record their own shows for inclusion in our schedule and this gives us variety in our programming as we can cover many interests and styles.
Training in the use of equipment and production standards can be provided, though we may ask you to complete other tasks while we await a space to become available for training.
Are these roles only based at Raigmore Hospital?
No.
Our aim is to be the Hospital Radio service for the whole NHS Highland area.
We would welcome anyone who has the ability to work remotely on our projects, and we would be delighted to have Ward Visitors visiting hospitals all over the highlands.
We also have the ability to support live and pre-recorded broadcasts from anywhere, so geography should not be a barrier to volunteering with us.
