Concerns highlighted in NHS Grampian report 'widespread' across Scotland's health boards

Doctors’ leaders have said concerns raised over patient safety and weak leadership at NHS Grampian are a problem in health boards across the country.

On Thursday, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) highlighted serious weaknesses in all aspects of management at NHS Grampian.

The health secretary has said she’ll be “demanding transparency” at every level of the organisation, but added patients are safe in the care of NHS Grampian.

Patients and leading figures in medicine have now raised concerns following the report’s publication.

‘My daughter could have died’

Claire Hodge’s daughter Esme has Down’s Syndrome and has been under NHS Grampian care for several years.

Claire Hodge has spoken out over her daughter's treatment at NHS Grampian — Claire Hodge has spoken out over her daughter’s treatment at NHS Grampian STV News

In 2022, she was taken to hospital with stiffness in her neck. Staff highlighted how serious Esme’s condition was, but she wasn’t referred for further specialist help.

Claire told STV News: “We went home, we received a letter a few days later saying we’d been discharged with no further action.

Esme was taken to hospital with stiffness in her neck STV News

“When I received that letter, Esme was no longer using her arm properly.”

Claire added that Esme had become sicker, had been unable to lift her head and been drooling from one side of her face.

She said: “I was absolutely furious.

“This isnt an isolated case, but this was the biggest and most frightening one for us. The consequence was [potentially] losing my daughter’s life.”

She added: “It’s disappointing because our case was over three years ago and things [at NHS Grampian] still haven’t improved.”

Problems likely to be ‘widespread’ in Scottish health boards

There were multiple issues raised in the HIS report, including that some operations continued on children at Dr Gray’s in Elgin for months – even after the health board ordered them to be suspended.

And now there’s a warning that problems aren’t just contained to NHS Grampian.

Iain Kennedy, the former BMA Scotland chair, said: “The report identifies really serious cultural and leadership problems, and from what I know from speaking to medical colleagues across Scotland, I’ve no doubt that this is widespread. I would imagine that the same issues are present in all 14 health boards in Scotland.”

Patient safety was a key issue highlighted in the report, and now urgent action is being demanded by those put in place to protect those attending hospitals in the region.

Karen Titchener, Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland, said: “For the patients, I understand that they are not getting that assurance because we’ve already been allegedly reassured that things were going to change, so I think now we really have to make sure that we kind of take the bull by the horns and make sure that we’re moving forward at speed.”

‘We are letting our patients down’, admits chief executive

The health secretary has demanded urgent action after the HIS report was published and on Friday met with leaders at the health board.

Questions also have been raised of the Scottish Government following the publication of the report, as problems at NHS Grampian have been long documented.

Over the years, health secretaries have come and gone, funding has been an issue and improvements at times appear slow.

Angela Constance MSP said: “What is really clear in this report, is that the time for talk, the time for describing problems, is over.

“It’s crystal clear on the actions that have to be taken and that’s what I’m determined to play my part in ensuring that happens and I will highest expectations of the board, of the chief executive and other leaders within the system.”

The chief executive of NHS Grampian, who said on Thursday she wouldn’t resign over the damning report, said she had the confidence of the health secretary.

Laura Skaife-Knight said: “As of [Friday], we are escalated to stage four of the NHS Scotland support and intervention framework.

“My focus is on responding to this report, the real significant and seriousness of the findings within it. We are letting our patients, our communities down, I’m crystal clear on that and we must now use this report as a catalyst for change.”

An intervention team from the Scottish Government will now be put into NHS Grampian, but the leadership team have been left in no doubt that change must happen by the end of the year or more action will be taken.