Health chiefs branded ‘shameful’ after flagship hospital to be reviewed after safety concerns

Health bosses have been branded ‘shameful’ after a flagship hospital’s A&E department will be reviewed following safety concerns.

NHS Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. Photo by: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

The safety and quality of care at one of Scotland’s flagship hospitals will be reviewed by an NHS watchdog following safety concerns initially flagged by senior doctors last year.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) will investigate the emergency department at the Queen Elizabeth University (QEUH) in Glasgow.

In May last year, 29 consultants at the hospital raised concerns over overcrowding and staff shortages which they warned “seriously compromised” the safety of patients.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie (Photo by Fraser Bremner - Pool/Getty Images)

The watchdog apologised for its “shortcomings” in investigating the 18 months of evidence and failing to meet with any of the doctors.

It instead launched an investigation and spoke with senior executives at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) before closing it in August last year.

However, complaints in January this year were upheld that the doctors were not given the opportunity to discuss or present their evidence.

HIS has now confirmed the review with consider the full breadth of leadership, clinical, governance and operational issues, focusing on “how they may impact on the safety and quality of care”.

Robbie Pearson, chief executive of HIS, said: “The emergency department consultants at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital have expressed a range of concerns which they believe compromise their ability to provide safe, effective and person-centred care.

“This review will assess these issues to ensure a comprehensive and balanced assessment from all perspectives.

“The review will ensure the involvement of as wide a range of staff as possible – including the emergency department consultants – in order to build a complete picture of the issues facing the service.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, said: "This review is welcome, but it is shameful that staff have once again been forced to act as whistleblowers in order to secure action.

"Lives are on the line in this dangerously overstretched A&E, but the Health Board management chose to close ranks and cover up the truth.

"After years of controversy, there is still a rotten culture of secrecy at the top of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde - and yet the SNP continues to back them.

"I hope that this review sheds some much-needed light on the pressures facing the A&E at the QEUH, but questions still remain about why these concerns were initially dismissed."

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, said: “The serious concerns raised by my dedicated colleagues should never have failed to have been acted upon in the first place.

“They are paying the price for SNP ministers and senior health board officials not being transparent about serious incidents that have occurred.

“Patient care at all our hospitals – not least the flagship Queen Elizabeth – must be paramount and this review must guarantee concerns will always be taken on board and be as open as possible.

“Those staff have been pushed beyond breaking point due to the dire workforce planning by successive SNP health secretaries. Despite their best efforts, that ultimately impacts on patient care.”

“Neil Gray and the rest of the SNP government must ensure the Queen Elizabeth have all the resources they need to deliver the highest standard of care to patients.”

First Minister Humza Yousaf said he was “frustrated” at how the complaints of patient safety were initially handed.

He added: “Let me say unequivocally to staff that whoever they are within the health service, they should feel empowered to be able to raise complaints.”

Jane Grant, chief executive of NHSGGC, said: “We will fully support the review by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and will continue to work with them and our staff to improve the patient experience at the QEUH.”

Mr Pearson offered his “sincere, unreserved apology” to consultants in March.

A letter from Mr Pearson to the consultants said: “I would like to offer my sincere, unreserved apology for our shortcomings in this matter and the clear distress they caused you all.”

He also offered an “assurance” that HIS will learn lessons as a result of the complaint.