Children’s wards study prompts call for ministers to address NHS pressures

By The Press Association13th June 2016News ScotlandHospitals, Midwifery, News Scotland, NHS, Nursing / Midwifery, Recruitment / Retention, Workforce

The Scottish Government has been urged to “get to grips” with staffing pressures in the NHS after an unpublished probe into children’s wards at several hospitals reportedly raises serious patient safety issues.

Labour made the call as it demanded the report into St John’s Hospital in Livingston and other hospitals in the health board area be published as soon as possible.

NHS Lothian last year asked the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) to lead the independent review into their children’s hospital services.

It followed long-standing recruitment difficulties and the temporary closure of overnight beds for children at St John’s Hospital in Livingston in the summer of 2015.

Scotland on Sunday said it has now seen a confidential draft of the review team’s report.

The newspaper said overworked staff, cancelled appointments, insufficient medical cover and plummeting morale were identified in the draft document by the RCPCH.

And it claimed the 79-page document outlines the concerns of midwives at the St John’s neonatal unit about the resuscitation of babies treated there.

The expert review, which also examined Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children and the city’s Royal Infirmary, is already being considered by NHS Lothian.

But Labour’s health spokesman, Anas Sarwar (pictured), said: “We have been asking for this report to be published by the Scottish Government for some time and now we can see why it has been delayed until after the election.

“It is absolutely essential that the report is published as soon as possible so that we can hold the Government to account.

“This report seems to raise serious concerns about the impact of staffing shortages at St John’s and the consequences this could have for patient safety, including premature babies.”

He added: “Our NHS staff are doing the best they can with the resources they have, but the truth is that the NHS is under serious strain. The Government needs to get to grips with the pressures that are being reported by staff and reassure the public about patient safety.”

The Scottish Government said it has supported NHS Lothian to recruit to St John’s and it rejected opposition claims about the timing of the report’s publication.

A spokeswoman said: “This report, by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, focuses on services across the whole of Lothian, with the priority being the delivery of a safe, effective and sustainable service for patients and families across the health board area.

“The recommendations of the report are now for the board to consider. We understand this will be discussed at its next board meeting.

“When the board has considered the paper, the Scottish Government and the Chief Medical Officer will support them in implementing the RCPCH recommendations, and ensuring that all necessary improvements are delivered for the benefit of patients.

“The timing of the publication of the Independent Review into Paediatrics at NHS Lothian is entirely a matter for the board. To claim otherwise is simply wrong.”

Jim Crombie, chief officer of acute care at NHS Lothian, said the board is committed to delivering “the safest and most sustainable services for children”.

“We have acknowledged that, despite significant investment, we continue to face challenges with recruitment and sustaining a 24/7 workforce,” he said.

“We are also very much aware that our move to a new £200 million hospital for children and young people, with modern healthcare facilities and more beds, will give us opportunities to deliver services differently.

“The fact that we asked the experienced team from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to carry out this significant review and make recommendations, demonstrates our commitment to addressing these challenges and improving quality of care.”