THE Scottish Government has appointed a troubleshooter to oversee the delivery of the crisis-hit Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.
Mary Morgan, currently director of strategy, performance and service transformation at NHS National Services Scotland takes up her post today.
The £150 million building in Edinburgh’s Little France was due to be completed by early July but the grand opening was called off at the last minute by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman after it emerged that ventilation systems in the critical care department failed to meet basic safety standards.
Last Wednesday, Freeman said the hospital would remain shut for another year over safety concerns that will cost an extra £32m to fix.
She said that as well as the issues with the ventilation systems, there were problems with plumbing, drainage and the water supply.
NHS Lothian is paying around £1.4m in monthly repayments to the private consortium which built the facility.
Morgan’s appointment has been made following the publication of an independent review of the project.
The KPMG report published last Wednesday said £16m of repairs were needed to fix the ventilation and other issues that had been identified, with the work expected to take at least a year. The report identified an error by NHS Lothian at the tendering stage as the cause of the issues with the ventilation system.
Labour has called for an independent inquiry into the project.
Morgan’s appointment as senior programme director has been made by Freeman. “I am pleased to have swiftly appointed Mary Morgan to the role of senior programme director,” she said. “Mary comes with a wealth of experience within NHS Scotland, leading on major change programmes, and will bring extensive expertise and knowledge to this role.
“Mary will work closely with both the Scottish Government and senior management at NHS Lothian and will oversee the safe delivery of the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences.
“Our overriding priority is that the children and families who depend on these hospital services can receive them in the safest way possible. The current situation is not one anyone would choose – but it is one I am determined to resolve.”
Morgan added: “I recognise the importance and the challenge of the task ahead, whilst acknowledging the large amount of work that has been already undertaken.
“I am looking forward to working with colleagues in NHS Lothian in order to ensure that the new site for the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neurosciences is fully compliant and safe, ensuring the successful completion and move of services to the new premises.”
Morgan joined the NHS in Scotland in 1982 and pursued a career in nursing and NHS management. She joined NHS National Services Scotland as the director of Health Protection Scotland in 2008.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said last week that she “deeply regrets” the delay but stressed the hospital would not open until it was safe for patients.
She pointed out that the KPMG report showed the ventilation problem was not discovered until early July.
“I didn’t know about that, the senior management in the health board – as far as I’m aware – didn’t know about that and the Health Secretary didn’t know about that,” Sturgeon said. "As soon as that came to light, the Health Secretary acted properly and appropriately.”
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