Reporting practices surrounding emergency department waiting times are to be ‘re-modelled’ across NHS Lothian following an internal review. An investigation, launched following a whistleblower’s revelations about the under-reporting of waiting times at St John’s in Livingston, has found that ALL emergency care hospitals across the region have misrepresented waiting times. Continue reading Dodgy data 2: NHS Lothian to ‘re-model’
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Community Open Day
Sunday 10th December 12 noon – 3pm
The EDINBURGH CHEER campaign has received the backing of the Scottish Government’s Minister for Public Health and Sport, Aileen Campbell, who said: “It is tremendous to see two of Scotland’s biggest clubs, city rivals, coming together to promote such a positive message and to help create such a tremendous spirit at Christmas. Football – our national sport – can be a powerful force for good, and this initiative further highlights the great impact it can have in communities.”
Hearts Chairwoman and Big Hearts Trustee Ann Budge said: “The city’s two major football clubs coming together to lead this campaign will, we hope, encourage lots of people to get behind us to deliver Edinburgh Cheer this Christmas. While the two clubs are fierce rivals on the pitch, off the pitch we share similar values and a similar determination to use football to create better outcomes for people.
“Although we do have lots of passionate supporters, we really are only rivals for 90 minutes three or four times a season. Otherwise both clubs are totally committed to doing what they can for the community and to help the people of Edinburgh.”
Hibernian Chief Executive Leeann Dempster said: “We are delighted to be working with Heart of Midlothian to launch this campaign to make Edinburgh the Capital of Goodwill this Christmas, harnessing the power of football to deliver positive benefits. We are also thrilled that so many other organisations have expressed a desire to support the Edinburgh Cheer campaign, and we hope that supporters and all other citizens will sign up to help make Christmas a little kinder for all the people of Edinburgh.”
NHS Lothian Chief Executive Tim Davison said: “Football is Scotland’s national game, and we know the huge interest there is in the game and the influence that football can have. We are delighted to be working with the clubs on a campaign designed to help the well-being of all the people of Edinburgh, and to work with the Evening News to promote positive health messages.”
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Health Secretary Shona Robison has ordered an independent review into concerns around A&E waiting times practices and staff pressure at St John’s Hospital. Continue reading Dodgy data? Internal inquiry into emergency waiting times figures
Staff urged to speak out in new survey
As well as the annual iMatter survey, this year NHSScotland staff experience will also be measured using a new short survey called the Dignity at Work Survey, which is running from 6 November until 27 November. It is designed to measure how staff feel they are treated at work, and will provide important feedback to help shape our workforce strategies and build improvements based on what staff tell us matters to them. Continue reading NHS Lothian staff: what matters to you?
A £12.1 million health centre in Edinburgh is set to bring increased health and social care services under a new name. North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre will now be known as Pennywell All Care Centre following a renaming competition at Craigroyston Community High School. Continue reading Partnership Centre no more: it’s now Pennywell All Care Centre!
A report by clinical experts has recognised NHS Lothian’s commitment to restoring paediatric inpatient services at an NHS Lothian hospital as soon as possible, but warned there was no “quick fix”.
The review, carried out by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), highlighted the dedication of paediatric teams at St John’s Hospital in Livingston and commended the progress being made. It supported the health board’s decision to temporarily suspend inpatient services in order to maintain safe facilities for children and it said the service should only resume once the extra staff are recruited or trained.
Jacquie Campbell, Chief Officer of Acute Services, NHS Lothian, said: “We are working extremely hard to recruit additional senior staff so that we can reinstate 24/7 services at the site and we remain committed to the service. But so far we have been unable to provide sufficient staffing cover to ensure patients receive a safe service overnight.
“We know this is frustrating for patients and families, but the RCPCH has been explicit in their clinical and expert opinion that this decision was the right thing to do.
“Our overarching strategy remains a commitment to St John’s Hospital and the children’s ward and this has been demonstrated by the significant and on-going investment we have made into recruitment.”
The report was carried out after NHS Lothian invited the RCPCH to review progress following their first evaluation of children’s services overall in 2015.
At that time, the RCPCH said that inpatient children’s services should be retained on two sites – St John’s Hospital, Livingston, and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh – and it was recommended that an additional eight consultants were recruited.
The 32 recommendations from the report were taken on board and wide-ranging rounds of recruitment began to help fill the gaps in the rota. However despite extensive campaigns, the required number of posts have not been filled.
The Paediatric Programme Board, which was appointed two years ago to oversee and decide how best to implement the findings of the original report, is now considering the recommendations from the follow-up report.
The RCPCH said that their initial assessment remains the same, but they understand the increasing difficulties in recruitment has caused the current situation.
The report said: “The report reaffirms that for the population of West Lothian the continued provision of inpatient paediatrics is the right model if it can be achieved with sustainable medical staffing.
“This is not a ‘quick fix’ as demonstrated by attempts to recruit paediatricians and advanced children’s nurses. Until sufficient trained medical and nursing staff are available to provide sustainable overnight care, the current daytime only paediatric assessment and decision-making service should be maintained and strengthened.
“Its opening times should be mapped more closely to activity and it should be supported with strengthened community and transport services.”
NHS Lothian is now developing a longer-term strategy to continue to deliver safe and sustainable services, and maintain and strengthen the current provision of the short stay paediatric assessment unit and review the possibility of extending the opening hours.
Ms Campbell added: “We will be looking at these recommendations very carefully in the context of how we can provide patient services safely.
“I would emphasise that parents are not being asked do to anything differently. Most of the children who currently attend the unit will continue to be cared for as normal. They will either be referred by their GP for an urgent medical opinion or attend with a pre-arranged appointment for treatment, assessment, tests or minor day surgery.”
Children will still be assessed and treated in the Emergency Department at St John’s Hospital at night and weekends. A paediatric consultant will be available on-call 24/7. If a child needs to be admitted to hospital a transfer to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, will be arranged. Maternity and neonatal services at the hospital are unaffected.
The full report is can be read here. Continue reading St John’s Hospital children’s services: “no quick fix”
NHS Lothian chiefs have assured the public the Royal Infirmary is safe after panels of combustible material were found during safety inspections at the hospital. The checks were initiated following the Grenfell Tower blaze in London. Continue reading Combustible cladding found, but health chief insists Royal Infirmary “remains safe”
A groundbreaking initiative which helps people overcome their addictions has celebrated helping its 600th graduate. Edinburgh resident Angie Dunn is the latest person to complete the Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP), and she joined staff and NHS Lothian Chair Brian Houston to mark the event. Continue reading LEAP of joy: pioneering programme celebrates 600th success story
