Cash-strapped health chiefs have come under fire for spending almost £9,000 on a security review – but making no changes six months later.
NHS Highland management met hospital security guards in January to begin consultation on a proposal to cut night shift cover at the north’s main hospital from two to one member of staff.
The GMB union, of which nine of Raigmore’s 10-strong security team are members, described the plan as “appalling and ridiculous” and threatened strike action.
Six months later, and there has been no action by NHS Highland in relation to the review, which is understood to have cost just under £9,000.
GMB regional officer Liz Gordon, who revealed the figure, has criticised the NHS Highland for wasting taxpayers’ money – days after it emerged they face a £21 million overspend this financial year and the health authority was highly condemned in a corporate governance report.
The union has threatened balloting members on potential industrial action if NHS Highland goes ahead with a proposal to reduce night workers from the current two to one.
A confidential letter from health bosses said a review of security guard duties concluded they were working shifts with “very lean activity”.
It added that porters have had “basic training” to act as back up to security guards, claiming this would “reduce the risk significantly”.
But the union leader said: “The ongoing review of Raigmore Security has cost the NHS – and the taxpayer – nearly £9,000 over six months with nothing to show.
“It’s utter nonsense to say that security guards don’t have enough work.
“The statistics indicate a clear rise in violence yet the NHS refuse to take this on board.
“There have been several incidents in the past few months that management will deny that have put staff at risk.”
She claimed that, out of 214 shifts, 120 incidents were logged. These ranged from minor incidents to a break in and violent behaviour.
In the year to July last year there were 594 “violent and aggressive” logged, rising from 26 in September 2016 to 55 in March and 80 in July, 2017.
The union boss added: “I’ve spoken with ward staff and they are appalled by this proposal. It is putting lives at risk.
“Ward pressures are bad enough with insufficient beds and low staffing numbers.
“Equally ridiculous is the notion that porters will have the time to give assistance. When dealing with a dead body, it takes both porters working the night shift to take it to the mortuary.
“If an incident happened at the other end of the hospital, then there would be no available back up.”
An NHS spokeswoman said: “Organisational change is ongoing in relation to security at Raigmore Hospital.
“The next meeting will be at the beginning of August allowing those involved to bring together the work that is getting done in the background.
“Organisational change is managed within existing resources.”
Last week, NHS Highland was highly criticised in an independent review, with recommendations that the board use mentors, coaches, mediation and formal training courses to improve how they govern.
