NHS Grampian’s chief executive has said steps have been taken to prevent ambulances queuing up outside Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin in the future.
Douglas Ross wrote to the health board looking for answers after as many as eight ambulances were queued outside the hospital on January 3.
Staff shortages and an increase in patients with respiratory illnesses such as the flu and Covid were blamed for mounting pressure on the health service.
In response to Mr Ross’ concerns, chief executive Caroline Hiscox has stressed a number of measures are being carried out to ensure the factors contributing to flow failure are identified and lessons learned.
The health board has spoken with staff who were working early in the new year, and analysed the adverse events that were reported at that time.
Patients have been identified who were directly affected by prolonged ambulance care, while a wider action plan has been established by partners including the ambulance service.
The chief executive wrote: “A comprehensive action plan has been established by all partners, including SAS, at a Moray Portfolio and wider NHS Grampian level to address the current challenges we are facing in relation to urgent and unscheduled care demands on all health and care services.
“The impact of agreed actions is being monitored closely.”
‘Lives were literally on the line’
Mr Ross is satisfied the health board recognised the seriousness of the situation and says these are “steps in the right direction”, but that it was “completely unacceptable” that it happened in the first place.
He said: “The response from NHS Grampian at least suggests that the health board has recognised the seriousness of what happened early in the new year and is taking steps in the right direction to solve it.
“However, there needs to be a far greater sense of urgency if we are to avoid scenes like this occurring again for patients and our overwhelmed ambulance crews. It was completely unacceptable that it happened in the first place.
“Lives were literally on the line as a result of our ambulance capacity being pushed to total breaking point. It is welcome that partners are working together to address these huge issues, but that is the least that should have been going on well before the situation hit crisis point.”
The Moray MP stressed the scenes at the beginning of the month were through no fault of the ambulance crews and hospital staff.
He said: “These delays happened through no fault of our dedicated ambulance crews and hospital staff who continue to go above and beyond to support suffering patients.
“Dire workforce planning by the SNP government and a lack of resources are to blame for this truly alarming situation.
“I will continue to fight for answers for patients and staff at Dr Gray’s to ensure the pressure can be eased on our overwhelmed services and ambulance crews going forward.”
Conversation