A catalogue of safety risks have been identified at hospitals and health centres across the north-east.
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary has 24 areas of risk, including asbestos, fire safety and legionella – the bacteria that causes legionnaire’s disease – and general health and safety.
It is one of 33 facilities across Scotland, including the north-east’s flagship hospital, that have either significant or high risk maintenance backlogs which need to be addressed.
The figures were released by the Scottish Conservatives yesterday and covered all 14 health boards including NHS Grampian.
Aberdeen’s maternity hospital has 14 issues which have yet to be resolved, which also include legionella, fire safety and general health and safety
Meanwhile, risks were also identified at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, Inverurie Health Centre and hospital, Dr Gray’s in Elgin, Fraserburgh Hospital and Peterhead Health Centre among others.
Last night, a patient’s welfare group said the findings were “not a surprise” and claimed they were symptomatic of a severe lack of funding.
Jamie Weir, of the Patient Action Coordination Team (PACT) said: “Concern must be expressed when the catalogue of significant risk and high risk backlogs in Grampian is examined closely.
“Grampian health board has to juggle with insufficient funds year on year and there will be areas such as these which will be on the bottom of the ‘to-do’ list.
“However, warnings have been given to the Scottish Government over many years and their failure to understand the consequences of underfunding is now apparent.
“If a serious incident happens as a result of the politicians reluctance to deal with these problems, it would not only be an appalling situation but entirely their fault.”
The health board has said it is working to address the problems in its facilities.
A spokeswoman said: “NHS Grampian’s annual spend on backlog maintenance is limited and is therefore directed to the most significant and high risk issues.
“We are still reviewing our priorities for the current financial year around backlog maintenance investment.”
Health minister Shona Robison said the government was working with health boards to ensure more than £1billion was invested in medical facilities across the country over the next three years.
She said: “Over the past five years we have invested around £1 billion to deliver two of the largest acute hospitals ever built in Scotland. “This along with work underway in Dumfries and Edinburgh, is transforming the way healthcare is delivered in Scotland, while also ensuring we provide the facilities and the capacity needed in our NHS for the future.”