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SCOTLAND · PEOPLE, PLACES & SERVICES

Orkney · NHS health board

Population, health and care services for Orkney, Scotland, with dated sources and counting notes.

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Population and demographics

Mid-2025 population estimate: 21,920 people.

Population by age and sex
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal
0–5577 (2.6%)506 (2.3%)1,083 (4.9%)
6–231,984 (9.1%)1,772 (8.1%)3,756 (17.1%)
24–665,776 (26.4%)6,119 (27.9%)11,895 (54.3%)
67+2,452 (11.2%)2,734 (12.5%)5,186 (23.7%)
All ages10,789 (49.2%)11,131 (50.8%)21,920 (100.0%)

Every percentage is a share of the total area population. Percentages are rounded and may not sum to 100%. Age endpoints are inclusive. Council and health-board figures describe the same population and must not be added together.

Source: NRS population estimates via Public Health Scotland

Population projections, 2022–2047

The 2022-based principal projection is a trend-based scenario, not a prediction. Its 2022 base is separate from the mid-2025 estimates above; the series are not joined. Published 2025-09-30.

Source: National Records of Scotland projections
Projected population: selected years
YearMaleFemaleTotal
202210,81811,21222,030
203010,73411,35222,086
203510,57911,36721,946
204010,38911,32421,713
204710,11111,26421,375
All annual projections, 2022–2047
2022-based projected population
YearMaleFemaleTotal
202210,81811,21222,030
202310,84511,26522,110
202410,85111,28622,137
202510,84811,30722,155
202610,84311,32022,163
202710,82011,32122,141
202810,79511,33222,127
202910,76411,35022,114
203010,73411,35222,086
203110,70311,36222,065
203210,67511,36122,036
203310,64811,35922,007
203410,61211,36221,974
203510,57911,36721,946
203610,54211,36321,905
203710,50111,35521,856
203810,46411,34821,812
203910,42211,33521,757
204010,38911,32421,713
204110,34811,31621,664
204210,31211,31121,623
204310,26711,29921,566
204410,22511,29621,521
204510,18511,28721,472
204610,14811,27421,422
204710,11111,26421,375

Health and care services

Counts describe listed practices or services at their recorded locations, not the number of buildings, staff or available appointments. The categories are separate and are not combined into a health-services grand total.

GP practices

Listed records: 7.

Source: Public Health Scotland · 2026-07-01

Original publication

Practices counted once at their published main address; branch surgeries are not separately counted. Registered patients may live outside this council. Types describe the GP contract. Practice websites are not supplied in this release.

Browse GP practices (7)
  • Daisy Villa

    GMS

    Daisy Villa, St. Margaret's Hope, Orkney, KW17 2SN

  • Dounby Surgery

    GMS

    Dounby Surgery, Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2HH

  • Heilendi Practice

    GMS

    Heilendi Practice, The Balfour, Foreland Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NZ

  • Islands View Surgery

    2C

    Islands View Surgery, Rousay, Orkney, KW17 2PU

  • Orcades Practice

    2C

    Orcades Practice, Primary Care Department, The Balfour, Foreland Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NZ

  • Skerryvore Practice

    GMS

    Skerryvore Practice, The Balfour, Foreland Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NZ

  • Stromness Surgery

    GMS

    Stromness Surgery, John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AD

NHS dental practices

Listed records: 4.

Source: Public Health Scotland · 2026-03-31

Original publication

Active NHS dental practices at the snapshot date; may also offer private care. Counts practices, not individual dentists. Inclusion does not mean the practice is accepting new NHS patients. Registration counts are not council resident counts.

Browse NHS dental practices (4)
  • DAISYBANK CLINIC

    NHS dental practice

    BERSTANE ROAD, KIRKWALL, KW151NA

  • ORKNEY DENTAL

    NHS dental practice

    62-64 VICTORIA STREET, KIRKWALL, KW151DN

  • ORKNEY DENTAL

    NHS dental practice

    22 JOHN STREET, STROMNESS, KW163AD

  • THE BALFOUR

    NHS dental practice

    FORELAND ROAD, KIRKWALL, KW151NZ

Care homes

Listed records: 7.

Source: Care Inspectorate · 2026-08-31

Original publication

Active registered Care Home Services, including adult and children’s services. Counts are services, not necessarily separate buildings. Registered places are capacity, not occupancy. Contact details withheld by the source remain withheld. Individual website links are not supplied in the export.

Browse Care homes (7)
  • Aurrida House

    Local Authority · Children & Young People

    Contact details withheld by the source.

  • Enable Scotland (Leading the Way) - Old Scapa Road

    Voluntary or Not for Profit · Learning Disabilities

    11 Old Scapa Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1GU

  • Hamnavoe House

    Local Authority · Older People

    Coplands Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BW

  • Kirkjuvagr House

    Local Authority · Older People

    Kirkjuvagr, Soulisquoy Loan, Kirkwall, KW151BY

  • Rendall Road

    Local Authority · Children & Young People

    Contact details withheld by the source.

  • Short Breaks, 32/34 Pickaquoy Loan

    Local Authority · Learning Disabilities

    St. Colm's Complex, Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1RP

  • Smiddybrae House

    Local Authority · Older People

    Vetquoy Road, Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2HH

NHS hospitals

Listed records: 1.

Source: Public Health Scotland · 2026-09-03

Original publication

Current NHS hospital-location records, including non-acute hospitals and specialist/resource centres classified in this reference file. Private hospitals are excluded. Hospital types and individual websites are not supplied in this release.

Browse NHS hospitals (1)
  • The Balfour

    Foreland Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW151NZ

NHS workforce

Census: 2026-06-30 · Published: 2026-09-01

Board total: 778 staff; 642.48 whole-time equivalents (WTE).

Headcounts are distinct within each group; one person may appear in more than one group. Do not add group headcounts or board headcounts. WTE is rounded for display.

Workforce by staff group
Staff groupHeadcountWTE
Nursing & midwifery267222.62
Administrative services171150.48
Support services10276.23
Allied health professions6655.88
Medical & dental7048.98
Medical & dental support3731.84
Other therapeutic services3529.36
Healthcare science2019.21
Personal & social care107.88

Directorate data are unavailable in this export; service-delivery location reporting is paused by the publisher. Medical specialties and other staff subgroups remain available in the map and downloadable workforce file.

Source: NHS Education for Scotland / Public Services Delivery Scotland

Constituent councils