Raigmore Hospital to monitor the strength of the sun

A UV radiation monitor to measure the sun’s strength has been installed on the roof of Raigmore Hospital’s emergency department - one of just three sites in Scotland to host such a device.

Previously housed at RAF Kinloss, it has three sensors to pick up details on the sun’s intensity and duration which could help prevent skin cancer.

Andrew Hince, NHS Highland consultant physicist and head of radiation protection, said the information could also be used to help monitor climate change.

“It is accepted that UV radiation can cause skin cancer and this monitor will allow scientists to follow patterns,” he said. “The public can use it when it comes to being safe while out in the sun.”

The data recovered will be turned into a UV index which will be accessible to the public through a website later this summer.

The monitoring station had been introduced at RAF Kinloss in 1995 but it had to be removed when the station closed.

We ideally wanted a replacement location at about the same latitude and somewhere close to a population centre,” he said. “Inverness met those criteria and Raigmore Hospital offered us the use of part of their roof to mount the instrument.”