Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Lothian says it is “deeply
concerning” some hospitals in Lothian have either never been
inspected or not been inspected for over five years.
Analysis from the Scottish Conservatives of Healthcare
Improvement Scotland (HIS) data shows 36 hospitals across
Scotland have never been inspected while a further 29 have not
been inspected in the last half-decade.
That total of 65 comprises more than half of the current number
of working hospitals in Scotland.
The findings show that in NHS Lothian three hospitals have never
been inspected while a further two have not been inspected for
five years or more.
says that hospital
inspections play a vital role in reassuring patients and staff in
NHS Lothian that their hospital is as safe as it can be.
says it is “particularly
shocking” that inspections are not being carried out when NHS
Lothian is under immense pressure ahead of the winter period.
has called on SNP health
secretary to urgently get a grip of
this situation and guarantee hospitals in NHS Lothian will be
regularly inspected.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP said: “The fact
that hospitals in the Lothians have either never been inspected
or have not been inspected for over five years is deeply
concerning.
“Inspections play a vital role in ensuring that patients and
staff in NHS Lothian know that their hospital is operating as
safely as possible.
“It is particularly shocking to see these figures emerge at a
time when our NHS in Lothian is under immense pressure and facing
the prospect of a truly terrifying winter period.
“The onus is on the SNP health secretary – who is already
presiding over an A&E crisis in the Lothians – to get a grip
of this situation.
“He must guarantee that hospitals in the Lothians that have never
– or not recently – been inspected, will be as a matter of
urgency.”
Notes:
A table is attached broken down by health board outlining
when hospitals were last inspected, or never inspected.
Since Healthcare Improvement Scotland was established in
2011, 36 hospitals across Scotland have never been
inspected. This includes Chalmers Hospital in Banff,
Blairgowrie Community Hospital and Castle Douglas Hospital.
(Health and Safety Executive, Accessed 7 September 2023,
link; Healthcare
Improvement Scotland, Accessed 7 September 2023, link).
A further 29 hospitals have not been inspected in the
last five years. This includes Dr Gray’s in Elgin,
Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow.
(Healthcare Improvement Scotland,Accessed 7 September
2023, link).
In total, this means of the 125 hospitals in Scotland
currently in use, 65 have not been inspected in the last five
years, or at all. This equates to 52% of hospitals being
under-inspected or uninspected. (Healthcare Improvement
Scotland, Accessed 7 September 2023, link).
Rural hospitals were unfairly impacted by lack of
inspections. Only one hospital in NHS Highland, the
Raigmore, had been inspected in the last five years, whilst 12 of
the 36 hospitals that had never been inspected were in the
Highland area. Similarly, 5 hospitals in the Tayside area had
never been inspected. (Healthcare Improvement Scotland,
Accessed 7 September 2023, link).
Despite concerning findings, several hospitals have not
received follow up inspections. At University Hospital
Crosshouse, patients were being cared for in mixed sex bays and
nonstandard clinical areas which resulted in patients’ care,
dignity and respect needs not being met. Similarly, at Lightburn
Hospital in Glasgow, wards were too crowded, compromising patient
privacy and safety. Despite this, neither hospital has received a
follow up inspection in the last year. (Healthcare
Improvement Scotland, Accessed 7 September 2023, link).
