Surgical ward may go five-day

nhs managers considering cost-cutting move at caithness general

Published:

NHS managers in the far north are considering closing the surgical ward of a major Highland hospital at weekends.

The proposal would mean the Bignold ward of Caithness General at Wick would turn into a five-day-a-week operation.

Meanwhile, at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, managers are considering the possibility of shutting one maternity ward at Christmas and New Year.

The cost-cutting plan to close the Wick surgical ward for two days – believed to be Saturdays and Sundays – has elicited concern from a lay member of the North Highland Community Health Partnership (NHCHP).

Elizabeth Smith yesterday said she did not know about the move and pledged to take it up with Wick-based hospital managers.

Were the cutback to be implemented, surgical patients would be moved to spare beds in other wards.

Managers have meantime given an assurance that its emergency surgery service would be unaffected were the ward to close at weekends.

The review of bed-space at Caithness General is being replicated at other hospitals as NHS Highland seeks to head off a major budget crisis.

NHCHP is shortly expected to announce details of a review of Thurso’s Dunbar Hospital involving the loss of a number of the current 16 beds.

NHCHP general manager Sheena Craig yesterday confirmed that it is looking at the future use of beds at the Wick hospital.

She said: “We occasionally have to carry out emergency surgery at weekends. If the surgical ward was closed at weekends, patients would be admitted to the adjacent ward, but would be cared for by nurses with skills in surgical nursing.

“I wish to reiterate that no decisions have been made with regard to weekend closures or any reconfiguration of beds.”

Mrs Craig added: “There is also a need to create more day-bed capacity in Bignold ward to meet increasing demand for day surgery.

“There are a number of other options around bed configuration which need to be explored in detail.

“Any recommendations around bed reconfiguration will be discussed and agreed through the management team and will go to the committee for endorsement.”

Mrs Smith said she was surprised there had been no mention at last month’s NHCHP meeting about the proposed cutback.

Mrs Smith, who is also a member of Highland Health Voices, said: “Reducing the Bignold wing to five days a week does concern me. They would have to have a very good reason to justify that.”

NHS Highland’s Woman and Child Directorate general manager Jo Veasey said: “We are considering the possibility of closing Raigmore beds over Christmas and New Year, based on the reduction in planned work over this period. However, we are taking stock of our expected deliveries to ensure we have adequate beds available.”