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Showing results for tags 'Scotland'.
Found 102 results
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News Article
Doctors' A&E safety warnings snubbed by watchdog
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
An NHS watchdog has apologised to 29 doctors at Scotland's biggest hospital for not fully investigating their concerns about patient safety. A&E consultants at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital wrote to Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) to warn patient safety was being "seriously compromised". They offered 18 months' worth of evidence of overcrowding and staff shortages to back their claims. But HIS did not ask for this evidence. The watchdog also did not meet any of the 29 doctors - which is almost every consultant in the hospital's emergency department - to discuss the concerns after it received the letter last year. Instead, it carried out an investigation where it only spoke to senior executives at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde before then closing down the probe. HIS has now issued a "sincere and unreserved apology" to the consultants and upheld two complaints about the way it handled their whistleblowing letter about patient safety. One consultant who signed the letter told BBC Scotland: "We'd exhausted all our options and thought HIS was a credible organisation. "We offered to share evidence of patient harm. We were shocked that they ignored this and didn't engage with us as the consultant group raising concerns." Another consultant added they were "shocked at their negligence." Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 March 2024 -
Content ArticleAlong with the Care Inspectorate, Healthcare Improvement Scotland have established a National hub for reviewing and learning from the deaths of children and young people (National hub). The National hub uses evidence to deliver change. It ultimately aims to help reduce preventable deaths and harm to children and young people.
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News Article
Thousands of A&E patients wait longer than a day for treatment
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
More than 7,300 people waited longer than 24 hours for emergency treatment in Scottish hospitals last year, with the longest wait more than 122 hours. Public Health Scotland statistics obtained by Scottish Labour through freedom of information (FoI) revealed that 7,367 patients were in an emergency department for more than 24 hours before being discharged, admitted or transferred in 2023. The longest wait in A&E last year occurred at NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s University Hospital Crosshouse, where a patient waited more than 122 hours, or the equivalent of five days. Waits of more than 88 hours were recorded in NHS Borders, and 72 hours in NHS Lanarkshire. Dame Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman, has demanded action from Neil Gray, the health secretary. “Scotland’s A&E departments are in the grip of a deadly crisis, with lives being put on the line day in and day out,” she said. “That some people have waited days — even a working week — to be seen is dangerous and disgraceful. “Hard-pressed A&E staff are working tirelessly to look after patients, but SNP mismanagement has created a perfect storm in our hospitals. Neil Gray has inherited an NHS in deadly disarray from his colleagues. “It’s time for action to be taken now to bolster A&E departments by tackling delayed discharges and investing in primary care to avoid putting further pressure on hospital services.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 11 March 2024 -
News Article
Neil Gray’s backroom deal with NHS unions ‘risks patient safety’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patient safety has been put at risk by ministers striking a backroom deal with unions to cut the equivalent of 10,000 health service jobs by reducing the working week, NHS bosses have warned. Briefings prepared by the chief executives of Scotland’s NHS boards reveal top management thrown into chaos after appearing to be blindsided by the new health secretary, Neil Gray. Two weeks into the role, Gray, who replaced the scandal-hit Michael Matheson on 8 February met with unions without NHS staff present and signed off sweeping changes to working conditions, setting a deadline to implement them within five weeks. The Scottish Conservatives have called the deal “deeply alarming”, while Labour accused the new health secretary of “standing idly by while chaos looms”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 4 March 2024 -
News Article
Baby death inquiries are poor and incomplete, experts say
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Deaths of newborn babies should be more thoroughly investigated by health boards in Scotland, experts have said after reviewing an increase in infant mortality. The team found inquiries into baby deaths conducted by health boards were “poor quality, inconsistent and incomplete”. The experts added that information about staffing levels on maternity wards at the time of the deaths was so poor that they could not draw any conclusions. They were also unable to determine if health boards enlisted independent, external advisers when considering if deaths could have been prevented. Helen Mactier, a retired neonatologist and chairwoman of the Neonatal Mortality Review, said: “This review has helped to get a clearer understanding of the increase in neonatal deaths that occurred in 2021-22. “We understand that there are still unanswered questions, and our recommendations are focused on ensuring that future opportunities to learn are not missed and acted on in a timely and comprehensive manner.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 27 February 2024 -
Content Article
Audit Scotland: NHS in Scotland 2023 (22 February 2024)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in NHS Scotland
The Scottish Government needs to develop a clear national strategy for health and social care to address the pressures on services, says a review by Audit Scotland. Significant changes are needed to ensure the financial sustainability of Scotland's health service. Growing demand, operational challenges and increasing costs have added to the financial pressures the NHS was already facing. Its longer-term affordability is at risk without reform. -
News Article
Scotland's NHS cannot meet growing demand, warns watchdog
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Scotland's NHS is unable to meet the growing demand for health services, a spending watchdog has warned. A review by Audit Scotland said the increased pressure on the NHS was now having a direct impact on patient safety and experience. The watchdog also claimed there was no "overall vision" for the future of the health service. The annual report on the state of Scotland's health service highlighted that the NHS was facing soaring costs, patients were waiting longer to be seen and there were not enough staff. Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said this had "added to the financial pressures on the NHS and, without reform, its longer-term affordability". He added: "Without change, there is a risk Scotland's NHS will take up an ever-growing chunk of the Scottish budget. And that means less money for other vital public services. "To deliver effective reform the Scottish government needs to lead on the development of a clear national strategy for health and social care. "It should include investment in measures that address the causes of ill-health, reducing long-term demand on the NHS." Read full story Source: BBC News, 22 February 2024 -
News Article
Scotland: Mother wrongly downgraded to low risk
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Doctors "failed to realise" that a first-time mother's pregnancy had become "much higher risk" because crucial warning signs were not properly highlighted in her medical records, an inquiry has heard. Nicola McCormick was obese and had experienced repeated episodes of bleeding and reduced foetal movement, but was wrongly downgraded from a high to low risk patient weeks before she went into labour. Her daughter, Ellie McCormick, had to be resuscitated after being born "floppy" with "no signs of life" at Wishaw General hospital on March 4 2019 following an emergency caesarean. She had suffered severe brain damage and multi-organ failure due to oxygen deprivation, and was just five hours old when her life support was switched off. A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) at Glasgow Sheriff Court was told that Ms McCormick, who was 20 and lived with her parents in Uddingston, should have been booked for an induction of labour "no later" than her due date of 26 February. Had this occurred, she would have been in hospital for the duration of the birth with Ellie's foetal heartbeat "continuously" monitored. In the event, Ms McCormick had been in labour for more than nine hours by the time she was admitted to hospital at 8.29pm on 4 March. A midwife raised the alarm after detecting a dangerously low foetal heartbeat, and Ms McCormick was rushed into theatre for an emergency C-section. Dr Rhona Hughes, a retired consultant obstetrician who gave evidence as an expert witness, told the FAI that Ellie might have survived had there been different guidelines in place in relation to the dangers of bleeding late in pregnancy, or had her medical history been more obvious in computer records. Read full story Source: The Herald, 24 January 2024 -
News Article
Patients’ hearts stopping in ambulance queues for A&E
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patients have suffered cardiac arrests while waiting in A&E departments or in ambulances queueing outside because Scottish hospitals are overwhelmed, doctors have warned. At least three cases in which patients’ hearts stopped beating while they were waiting for care have been reported to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in Scotland. Some of the incidents, the college said, may have been preventable. One frontline doctor told The Times that a patient with heart problems had died waiting in a queue of ambulances outside an emergency department. Staff could not take the patient inside because there was no capacity. JP Loughrey, vice-president of the college and an A&E consultant in the west of Scotland, said that people who should be in resuscitation rooms with a team of experts and equipment to monitor their vital signs were instead lying in ambulances outside hospital buildings. He also said that tensions were growing between frontline staff and NHS managers in large hospitals because doctors and nurses, who were already struggling to cope, were under increasing demands to work harder to process more patients. Read full story Source: The Times, 19 January 2024 -
News Article
Long Covid: NHS legal action launched by family of girl
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The mother of an 11-year-old Aberdeenshire girl with Long Covid has launched a legal action against their health board, in what lawyers claim is the first case of its kind in Scotland. Helen Goss, from Westhill, is seeking damages from NHS Grampian on behalf of her daughter, Anna Hendy. The action claims the health board is responsible for "multiple failings" in Anna's treatment and care. The claim alleges failings were avoidable, that they caused Anna "injury and damage", and led to her condition worsening. Anna became unwell after contracting Covid in 2020. The action alleges a number of failings by the health board. These include claims that requests for Anna to be referred to the specialist paediatric services of immunology and neurology were refused. It also claims no further help was offered after Anna was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). And it says these failings "could have been avoided had NHS Grampian followed contemporary guidance on diagnosis and treatment". Read full story Source: BBC, 19 January 2024 -
News Article
Culture progress sees NHS Highland escalation eased
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS Highland will no longer receive extra government support in leadership, governance or culture, following improvements after the Sturrock review. The board was initially escalated to Stage 3 of NHS performance escalation framework in 2018 following concerns of a culture of workforce bullying and harassment. An independent report by John Sturrock QC, commissioned by the Scottish government, confirmed “fear, intimidation and inappropriate behaviour” and called for wide-ranging changes. The Healing Process was created in response, with an independent review panel established to speak to victims of bullying and come up with recommendations for the health board to make improvements. A total of 272 current and former NHS Highland and local health and social care partnership staff provided testimony between 2019 and March this year, with more than £2.8m paid out to those affected by bullying. Concerns were raised by some of the first people to go through the healing process that the system was “broken” and many victims could end up “bitterly disappointed”. The board has also established systems and processes to allow colleagues to speak up in the wake of the Sturrock Review, including an independent Guardian Service and staff training in Courageous Conversations. NHS Highland was handed oversight of its own escalation and de-escalation, rather than a Scottish government-led oversight group, in November 2021. Following a letter of assurance from the board chair earlier this year, the Chief Executive of NHS Scotland, Caroline Lamb, agreed to the de-escalation in September. Independent progress tracking shows the board has delivered significantly against many actions laid out by the review but the board concluded in its final June update that ‘culture change is not yet embedded at all levels of our organisation’. Read full story Source: Health and Care Scotland, 2023 -
Content ArticleThe General Medical Council opened its first office in Scotland in 2003. Here Nicola Cotter, Head of GMC Scotland, looks back at the 20 years since, and just a few of her team’s achievements.
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Content Article
A new report published by Carers Scotland shows the devasting impact the health and social care crisis is having on the health of Scotland’s 800,000 unpaid carers. -
Content Article
This is part of our series of Patient Safety Spotlight interviews, where we talk to people working for patient safety about their role and what motivates them. Gordon talks to us about how bureaucracy in the health service can compromise patient safety, the vital importance of agreed quality standards and what hillwalking has taught him about healthcare safety. -
News Article
NHS board named in Glasgow hospital corporate homicide probe
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Scotland's largest health board has been named as a suspect in a corporate homicide investigation following the deaths of four patients at a Glasgow hospital campus. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) informed families of the development via a closed Facebook group set up during a water contamination crisis. The board confirmed it had received an update from the Crown Office. But it added there was no indication prosecutors had "formed a final view". Police Scotland launched a criminal investigation in 2021 into a number of deaths at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus, including that of 10-year-old Milly Main. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) instructed officers to investigate the deaths of Milly, two other children and 73-year-old Gail Armstrong. Milly's mother previously told a separate public inquiry into the building of several Scottish hospitals that her child's death was "murder". A review earlier found an infection which contributed to Milly's death was probably caused by the QEUH environment. Read full story Source: BBC News, 13 November 2023 -
News ArticleSome care home residents may have been "neglected and left to starve" during the pandemic, Scotland's Covid Inquiry is expected to hear. Lawyers representing bereaved relatives said they also anticipate the inquiry will hear some people were forced into agreeing to "do not resuscitate" plans. Shelagh McCall KC told the inquiry that evidence to be led would "point to a systemic failure of the model of care". The public inquiry is investigating Scotland's response to the pandemic. Ms McCall is representing Bereaved Relatives Group Skye, a group of bereaved relatives and care workers from Skye and five other health board areas of Scotland. In her opening statement, she told the public inquiry that families wanted to know why Covid was allowed to enter care homes and "spread like wildfire" during the pandemic. She added: "As well as revealing the suffering of individuals and their families, we anticipate the evidence in these hearings will point to a systemic failure of the model for the delivery of care in Scotland, for its regulation and inspection. "We anticipate the inquiry will hear that people were pressured to agree to do not resuscitate notices, that people were not resuscitated even though no such notice was in place, that residents may have been neglected and left to starve and that families are not sure they were told the truth about their relative's death." Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 October 2023
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Content ArticleThe protests outside the Scottish Parliament took an alarming turn recently with people wearing hospital gowns spattered with blood. The demonstrators were former patients of neurosurgeon Sam Eljamel, many allegedly harmed by him and still suffering and searching for answers years later. A public inquiry has been announced by the First Minister. As the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill makes its way into law, Alan Clamp, chief executive officer of the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, asks what this means for Scotland and the safety of its patients? See also: Working together to achieve safer care for all: a blog by Alan Clamp
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News Article
Scotland: MSPs to vote on patient safety commissioner plan
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
MSPs are set to vote on a new law to establish a patient safety commissioner. The bill to create an "independent public advocate" for patients will go through its final stage on Wednesday. Public Health Minister Jenny Minto has said the commissioner would be able to challenge the healthcare system and ensure patient voices were heard. The Scottish government has been told the new watchdog must have the power to prevent future scandals. In 2020, former UK Health Minister Baroness Julia Cumberlege published a review into the safety of medicines and medical devices like Primodos, transvaginal mesh and the epilepsy drug sodium valproate. She told the House of Lords: "Warnings ignored. Patients' concerns ignored. A system that seemed unwilling or unable to listen let alone respond, unwilling or unable to stop the harm." Her findings led to the recommendation for a patient safety commissioner. Speaking ahead of the vote on the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill, Ms Minto said the watchdog would listen to patients' views. "I think it's a really important role for us to have in Scotland," she said. "There's been a number of inquiries or situations where the patient's voice really needs to be listened to and that's what a patient safety commissioner will do." Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 September 2023 -
Content ArticleIn this article in the Scotsman, former whistle blower, Iain Kennedy, writes about the culture of fear and blame in Scotland's NHS and how NHS staff must feel free to speak up about problems that affect patient safety.
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News Article
NHS whistleblowers warn of 'unsafe' A&E staff shortages
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A group of senior doctors has accused NHS Grampian of ignoring their safety concerns about emergency departments. They told BBC Scotland News they were speaking out because they feel they cannot deliver a safe level of care. The medics said staff shortages meant Grampian's two A&Es have no senior registrars on shift to make key decisions about patients for the majority of weekend night shifts. Documents seen by the BBC News show medics have been raising concerns since 2021, both with NHS Grampian and the Scottish government, and in July this year submitted a formal whistleblowing complaint about the situation. One doctor said: "The staff are in an impossible situation. "We are witnessing ongoing harm with unacceptable delays to the assessment and treatment of patients. "There have been avoidable deaths and at other times there are too long delays getting to patients who may be suffering from a serious condition like stroke or sepsis." Read full story Source: BBC News, 23 August 2023 -
News Article
Breast cancer screening process in Scotland to change after recent errors
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS Scotland is to change the way women are called to breast cancer detection appointments after major recent errors in the screening programme. Some eligible for screening were not invited because they had moved between GP practices or were aged over 71 by the time their practice was called. Women aged 50 to 70 are invited for appointments once every three years, based on their GP practice. It emerged hundreds of women in NHS Lothian may have missed screenings. The health board said in January that 369 women considered to have a higher risk of developing the disease may not have received appointments at the right time. A major review of the programme in Scotland has made 17 recommendations to strengthen and improve services. They include: A more "person-centred" approach based on calling individual women - rather than the GP practice where they are registered - to set their next test date. Greater flexibility of appointments to provide better access and uptake, with more contact such as texts or phone calls to keep appointments on patients' radar. An online appointment cancellation and rebooking system to provide greater individual convenience. Evening and weekend appointments and more availability in rural and semi-urban locations. Read full story Source: BBC News, 24 May 2022 -
News Article
Dangerous staffing levels in Borders hospitals, says union
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A trade union has written to every politician representing the Scottish Borders to highlight "dangerous staffing levels" in local hospitals. Unison claims serious breaches of safety guidelines are occurring daily due to a lack of nurses, auxiliaries and porters. The letter says staff are unable to take proper rest breaks or log serious incidents in the reporting system. NHS Borders said patient and staff safety was its number one priority. Unison said working conditions in the area were regularly in breach of regulations. Greig Kelbie, the union's regional officer in the Borders, said: "We are getting regular messages from our members to tell us about the pressure they are under - and that they can't cope. "The care system was under pressure before Covid, but the pandemic has exasperated the situation, particularly at NHS Borders. "The NHS has been stretched to its limits and it is now at the stage where it is dangerous for patients and staff - we're often told about serious breaches of health and safety, particularly at Borders General Hospital where there are issues with flooring and staff falling. "We work collaboratively with NHS Borders to do what we can, but we also wanted to make politicians aware of how bad things have become. "We need our politicians to step up and implement change - we want them to make sure the Health and Care Act is brought to the fore and that it protects our members." Read full story Source: BBC News, 13 May 2022 -
News Article
Crowded A&Es mean Scottish paramedics play the waiting game
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Paramedic Moira Shaw is eyeing the frantic activity at the front doors of Edinburgh's emergency department. She is waiting for the go-ahead to hand over her patients to medics and answer the next 999 call. It can be a long wait. Last week, 1 in 10 ambulances across Scotland took more than 80 minutes to drop patients at an emergency department. BBC Scotland joined Moira and colleague Blair Paul at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where they were among seven ambulances waiting to drop off patients. "At the moment we can be an hour waiting, we sit in the ambulance and we wait until there is a space to go in," explains Moira, who has been with the service for nearly a decade. "This is pretty much an everyday occurrence now. "It's that domino effect, so if patients are waiting to move to other areas, A&E gets clogged up and they can't take any more patients in because they are waiting to move people on." Moira said she has noticed they are attending more calls where people have not been able to get through to their GP so phone 999 instead. Another theme picked up by Moira and her colleague Blair is helping younger sicker patients who need urgent hospital treatment. "I've seen actually quite a lot of people maybe in their 40 or 50s who have got now stage four cancer and they've just not been able to get access to any treatments or anything just due to the pressures on the NHS at the moment," explained Blair. Read full story Source: BBC News, 11 May 2022 -
News Article
Scotland’s A&Es facing ‘patient safety crisis’ as waiting times hit new high
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) estimated 36 Scots died as a direct result of avoidable delays in the week to 30 March. It comes as the number of people in hospital with Covid reached another record high, the worst cancer waiting times were reported since records began in 2006, and the Royal College of Nursing issued a warning that patient care is under “serious threat” from record-high staffing shortages. The RCEM said it would “welcome” a decision to extend the legal requirement to wear face coverings in Scotland to protect the NHS. “Anything that can continue to reduce the spread and therefore try and relieve as much pressure as possible in the healthcare system would be welcomed,” said RCEM Vice President in Scotland Dr John Thomson. Dr Thomson, an emergency medicine consultant at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, said the government must understand the “unconscionable” harm coming to patients. “We have clear evidence that prolonged weeks in an emergency department lead directly to patient deaths,” he said. “Good evidence that, irrespective of what the medical problem is that they present with, that long wait alone is associated with death. “We can measure that quite clearly. One in 72 patients who wait in an emergency department beyond eight hours will die as a direct result. “In the last week alone we would estimate there were 36 avoidable deaths due to waits beyond eight hours. That's unconscionable.” A&E’s in Scotland are facing the “biggest patient safety crisis for a generation”, he said. Read full story Source: The Scotsman, 29 March 2022 -
News Article
Edinburgh firm develops blood test for early signs of Alzheimer’s
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
A Scottish research firm set up by a dementia expert who quit the NHS because of insufficient “infrastructure” has developed a blood test to allow doctors to identify Alzheimer’s disease earlier. Scottish Brain Sciences, based in Edinburgh, announced it will collaborate with Roche Diagnostics on a series of projects, which the former’s founder, Craig Ritchie, said could have “big impacts”. Ritchie, who has led dozens of drug trials and pilots a European network on preventing Alzheimer’s, had been advocating the need to create new brain health centres across Scotland. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 14 August 2023
