Highland health bosses have defended their decision to attend a week-long Florida event that featured discounted trips to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios amid mounting concern about budgets, hospital safety and NHS performance.
The five managers were part of a 24-strong Scottish delegation who were guests of a US healthcare giant at the World Center Marriott resort hotel in Orlando.
Among them were executives who are masterminding the downgrading of maternity services at Caithness General Hospital.
That move which prompted angry demonstrations in Wick and Inverness.
The trip was organised by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement which has had public money to introduce sweeping reforms across Scotland’s health service.
About 6,000 delegates attended the forum, savouring free food and drink and a wine-tasting event.
Speaking last night, (SUN) Nicola Sinclair, secretary of the Caithness Health Action Team which has fought against the far north maternity shake-up, said: “It’s symptomatic of the culture of high paid public servants to enjoy a lavish lifestyle and large salary while frontline services are being cut.”
A spokesman for the Highland board said: “We want to be at the forefront of raising quality standards and believe it’s a good investment to learn from the best in class.
“Healthcare professionals were able to meet face to face, to freely exchange ideas and to learn from the very best health and care improvements in the world.”
He added: “Learning laboratories and workshops preceded the conference and provided unrivalled learning and networking opportunities. One example was the opportunity to hear directly from the team that cared for the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shootings in Orlando.”
The Highland delegation comprised medical director Rod Harvey, associate medical directors Paul Davidson and Ken McDonald, operations director Gill McVicar and senior charge nurse Kay Cordiner.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said most flights, registration and hotel bills were paid by the organisers, “emphasising the high regard in which the Scottish healthcare story is held.”
NHS Highland last month (NOV) reluctantly agreed to transfer £2.5million from its capital fund as an emergency measure to help balance its books.
