Tag: NHS Scotland

Spire Healthcare signs agreement with NHS Scotland

Spire Healthcare, a leading UK independent hospital group, has signed an agreement with NHS Scotland to make the staff, facilities, equipment and services at its Murrayfield Hospital in Edinburgh available to the NHS to help in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

Spire Healthcare will support NHS Scotland with immediate effect, for an initial period of three months.

 Under the agreement, which is similar to those signed in England and Wales, Spire Healthcare will provide additional capacity, relieving pressure on NHS hospitals and enabling the NHS to focus on treating COVID-19 patients. 

Ken Hay, Hospital Director at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals, said: “We are proud that we will be supporting the NHS in every way we can over the next few months, to tackle this unprecedented global health crisis.” 

We are committed to supporting the NHS in combatting the COVID-19 outbreak and will update when further information is available.

Extra respirators brought into use

Action has been taken to bring an additional 1.5 million protective respirators into use from NHS Scotland’s central stockpile.

The tightly-fitting facemasks, which provide a high level of protection for staff working with coronavirus patients, were not previously used because they had recently passed their expiry date.

However, scientific evidence from stringent independent tests has shown the FFP respirators continue to be safe to use.

Both the Health and Safety Executive and Health Protection Scotland have reviewed the evidence and are satisfied the stocks are safe for use by NHS staff.

Dr Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “The safety of our health and social care staff is our upmost priority and it’s essential they have the right equipment to keep them safe as they go about their work.

“While there is currently an adequate supply of respirators, we know there is a significant pressure on global supplies of personal protective equipment due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

“We therefore decided to test this recently expired stock to determine whether it still provides an adequate level of safety and protection.

“Those tests have shown the equipment continues to meet those standards and therefore we will bring these masks into use to ensure we continue to have adequate stocks as the outbreak develops.”

Dr Miles Mack, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland, said: “Effective personal protective equipment is essential and we understand the difficulties around sourcing that have been encountered.

“On the basis of Health Protection Scotland agreement, we have no issue with this stock of masks being distributed for use in the NHS at this time.”

Government announces plan to tackle workplace bullying in the NHS

A summit will be held this summer to consider what more can be done to promote positive workplace practices across the NHS. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman made the announcement as part of a package of measures in response to John Sturrock QC’s report into allegations of bullying and harassment in NHS Highland. Continue reading Government announces plan to tackle workplace bullying in the NHS

NHS Scotland urged to remove restriction on non-dairy milk

NHS Scotland has been urged to be inclusive of vegans through its Best Start voucher scheme by allowing vouchers to be spent on non-dairy milk and to ensure the vitamin D in any supplements being offered is vegan-friendly. Continue reading NHS Scotland urged to remove restriction on non-dairy milk

TERMINAL DECLINE? Auditor General calls for immediate action to save NHS in Scotland

“We cannot go on like this – patients and staff deserve so much better” – Labour MSP Neil Findlay

Immediate action is needed to shift the NHS towards long-term, fundamental change, according to a new report published today. Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs MSP said the report should make ‘shameful reading’ for the Scottish government. Continue reading TERMINAL DECLINE? Auditor General calls for immediate action to save NHS in Scotland