UNIONS and opposition politicians have claimed NHS Scotland is itself in need of “urgent care” – including better investment and staffing – in the wake of the deaths of four patients in two Glasgow hospitals.
The calls come as NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde finds itself under intense scrutiny following unrelated outbreaks of infection last month.
A 10-year-old boy and a 73-year-old woman died at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) after contracting an infection linked to pigeon droppings. Last week, it emerged a blood infection killed two premature babies at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.
The Scottish Government has launched a review into the design at the QEUH and an investigation into the deaths of the babies. It stressed that infections were rare.
However, Monica Lennon, Scottish Labour spokeswoman on health, said the recent tragedies called for immediate action. “Our NHS looks after us every single day, but there is mounting evidence that it needs urgent care too,” she said.
“It’s vital that our NHS has enough staff with the right mix of skills and experience and also that we invest in our social care workforce too.”
Last October, an Audit Scotland report claimed the NHS urgently needed “fundamental change”. It highlighted ongoing concerns that pressures on the Scottish health service may be beginning to affect the quality of care. Escalating problems with backlogged maintenance was one issue highlighted.
Lennon added: “Our health service would benefit from a more open and transparent culture, where the experiences of staff and patients are truly valued, listened to and acted on.
“A progressive health service should have people and communities at the heart of everything. If we are serious about rebuilding public trust and confidence, this is what we should aspire to.”
Norman Provan, associate director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, explained that staff shortages could compromise care.
He said: “Patient safety is the top priority for Scotland’s nurses and health care support workers, and research shows that having the right number of nursing staff with the right skills to meet demand is fundamental.
“Workforce pressures undoubtedly impact on the ability of nursing teams to provide safe and effective care.”
Danny Phillips, a spokesman for Unison, said: “The levels of trust in the NHS remain strong. This is down to the hard work of staff who carry out life-changing work.
“But we have to look after the NHS. Unison believes that the public have to make clear that they support their public services and those who deliver them and demand that austerity comes to an end and that we start investing in the services we need.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it would support investigation teams. She added: “Patient safety in our hospitals is paramount. We fully comply with national guidance on the investigation and reporting of cases.
“We have been, and continue to be, accountable and transparent about how we manage infection within our hospitals.”
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