Health Secretary urged to do shift in ‘crisis’ hit health board

Health Secretary Neil Gray has been urged to work a shift with an ambulance crew following the Scottish Government’s decision to step up its scrutiny of a “crisis” hit health board.

Mr Gray has been urged to work with frontline staff at NHS Grampian to fully understand the “deepening crisis” facing the board.

On Monday, it was announced that NHS Grampian would be moved to Stage 4 of NHS Scotland’s national performance framework – the second highest level of intervention.

Mr Gray said that while NHS Grampian staff “continue to work tirelessly to deliver the high-quality care we expect”, there were “continuing concerns about financial management and associated operational pressures”.

Such a move means there are “significant risks to delivery” and that tailored support “is not producing the required improvements”.

On Tuesday, Tory MSP Tess White called for Mr Gray to meet frontline staff to experience first-hand the issues facing the region.

“We have had enough of the Cabinet Secretary’s excuses,” she told Holyrood.

“He needs to know just how bad it is on the ground so that families aren’t asking the same difficult questions.

“So my ask, Cabinet Secretary, is not just to do visits that are pre-arranged. Will you please do a shift with an ambulance crew in Grampian and see it for yourself?”

Ms White brought up the case of a pensioner who she said had died after struggling to get an ambulance in time.

She said: “A mother in her mid-70s, herself a nurse by profession, had a bad fall.

“After her husband spoke to NHS 24 and called 999, an ambulance was eventually dispatched.

“He was advised the wait would be four to eight hours.

“As she was drifting in and out of consciousness, her family took the really difficult decision to lift her and drive to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

“Tragically, after they arrived, they were told she would soon pass.

“Her family is shocked and massively traumatised by what happened, but, above all, they are haunted by what happened and how it happened.”

The MSP for the North East Scotland region said the SNP had been “repeatedly warned about the perfect storm at NHS Grampian” as she accused them of presiding over a “decade of chronic underfunding”.

The Health Secretary said he had shadowed frontline shifts, although not at NHS Grampian.

He described the situation that led to the pensioner’s death as “unacceptable”.

He told MSPs: “Escalation to stage four will bring enhanced support and scrutiny from the Scottish Government that will include a whole system diagnostic to be carried out by an external consultancy expected to conclude in June to help inform a tailored package of support, that intervention will provide a robust basis for the wider, transformational work required over the longer-term in NHS Grampian to ensure the sustainable delivery of high-quality healthcare services.”

Mr Gray rejected accusations from Ms White that the SNP had “short-changed” NHS Grampian for years. He said the board will receive £1.34 billion this year.

He said that represented a 3% uplift to the board’s budget worth £39.2 million.

An NHS Grampian spokesperson said: “We welcome the additional support being provided as part of this process.

“As we continue to work closely with the Scottish Government to ensure sustained improvement in our performance, we would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of our staff and reassure the public that their care remains our priority.”