STV NewsSome staff at NHS Grampian believe there is a ‘cultural barrier to change’ at the health board, which is still facing financial pressures.
NHS Grampian has been under financial strain for some time, so much so that the Scottish Government ordered an independent review into the health board.
It found staffing levels, and therefore costs, have increased while total bed numbers and operations have fallen – and it suggests up to another £27m of savings could be found.
The report also said transformational change will be needed to address the deficit position.
Laura Skaife-Knight, NHS Grampian’s chief executive, told STV News: “There’s more work to do but we have plans in place in our priority areas including planned care, unscheduled care and improving our financial position but at the heart of all of that is getting the culture out of the organisation and I need to lead by example and role model that.
“That’s certainly my plan, by working with staff across the organisation and across the health and social care system.”
‘Ministers have taken their eye off the ball’
NHS Grampian’s financial position has been improving, but it has still overspent by around £25m since April. The health board’s projected overspend is still above its £45m deficit target.
The Scottish Government, who set that target, has provided nearly £6m in funding to help unscheduled care at the health board.
The health secretary Neil Gray said; “We don’t want to be in a situation of continued ambulance stacking outside Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. I want to see timeous access for patients getting access to accident and emergency facilities.
“I look forward to working NHS Grampian who I will be meeting on Monday morning in order to see that level of improvement that we want to see and part of the reason why they are currently escalated at stage four.”
Opposition parties though say both the health board and Scottish Government have taken their eye off the ball.
Scottish Conservative MSP Tess White told STV News that NHS Grampian needs to “talk to staff and undergo a major redesign”.
“NHS Grampian has been short-changed for over ten years, they had a £100m shortfall before they went into this. It was only six months ago that the Scottish Government gave them a loan. How could hey pay back a loan when they’ve got huge financial difficulties?
“It’s a hugely worrying situation.”
NHS Grampian says it is still confident it can keep the £45m deficit target.
But the report calls for action, not least the review of staffing levels and what it has described as “transformational change” will be needed to tackle the financial situation.
Insight Steven Brown
The independent report cuts across most of the health board and looks at possible changes and savings.
It certainly has not gone in there and found a health board not functioning properly.
But there will be concern around the idea of a resistance to change.
It says the workforce is nearly 14% more now than in 2019 – but operations, inpatient admissions and outpatient procedures are lower.
It says a 5% phased reduction in nurses could save £11.5m – a 30 to 40% reduction in back off staff that could save more than £15m.
It also highlights reducing the working week from 37 and half hours to 37 hours has cost more than £4.3m because of costs covering shifts.
Overall it says net expenditure has increased by £153m since 2019.
But obviously it’s easy to look at this in terms of spreadsheets and just numbers – but providing great health care is far more than that.
It is a large and detailed report, running at nearly 140 pages – and plenty for the health board to think about.
It says it’s looking at this and are already making changes and savings.
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