Dr Gray's hospital in Elgin told to make 20 'significant changes' following inspection

A new report addressing a series of concerns at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin has been published.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland identified 20 significant concerns during an unannounced inspection last year.

A report has now found that only half of those have been met.

Last year, Dr Gray’s hospital in Elgin was told significant changes had to be made to improve the facility.

A follow-up report from Healthcare Improvement Scotland this year shows progress is being made, but there is still work to do.

A total of 20 signficant concerns were raised from last year’s inspection, ten of those have now been met, but an additional two major improvements have been added to the remaining ten.

The ten carried over focus on cleanliness, ensuring a patient’s privacy and dignity and ensuring that staff comply with the safe management of controlled drugs.

The two new concerns relate to the hand hygiene of staff and ensuring clinical leaders are able to get more leadership time.

NHS Grampian say they welcome the findings of the healthcare inspectorate and remain fully committed to providing the best experience possible for their patients and staff.

The report notes that at the time of the inspection, like much of Scotland, NHS Grampian was experiencing significant pressures.

These include Dr Gray’s operating at 123% capacity on the first day.

However, despite the pressures faced by staff, the areas inspected were noted as calm and well-led, and patients were complimentary about their care.

Helen Chisholm, Chief Nurse, Dr Gray’s and Health & Social Care Moray, said: “We welcome the positive findings of the HIS team. We are pleased with the recognition of 5 areas of good practice and of the significant improvements the team have made that are specifically highlighted by HIS.

“We remain fully committed to providing the best experience possible for our patients and our staff at Dr Gray’s Hospital and will continue to work hard to build on the progress already made to meet the additional recommendations and requirements in the report.

“We are working hard to reduce our reliance on agency and locum staff, not just at Dr Gray’s, but across Grampian.

“The action plan we have submitted to Healthcare Improvement Scotland clearly lays out the work we are undertaking to meet their recommendations and requirements. This includes a robust process to allow medical students and resident doctors to raise concerns and ensure they know and understand what that process is.”