One of the north-east’s most senior doctors has assured patients that severe staffing shortages in emergency care will not put their lives at risks.
Consultants at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary have expressed serious concerns that the city’s flagship emergency care centre will not be able to provide “safe” treatment because vacant medical posts cannot be filled.
From August there will only be two senior doctors who can act as “decision makers” – compared to 10 doctors last year who were able to do the job.
At an NHS Grampian Board Meeting in Aberdeen today, two consultants even warned that they might be unable to provide resuscitation in certain circumstances.
But NHS Grampian medical director Dr Roelf Dijkhuizen said there was “no crisis” yet – and that there were options in place if the posts could not be filled.
“If we cannot fill the posts completely then we will have to ask for extra support from elsewhere in the hospital to make the department safe,” he said.
“But I can assure you that the department will be safe because that’s our job.”
NHS director says staff shortages will not put lives at risk
