Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley has today written to Professor James McGoldrick Chairman of NHS Fife asking for answers to questions and concerns around the continuing crisis of bed blocking in Fife.
Mr Rowley along with Independent health campaigner Andrew Rodger met with Professor McGoldrick, John Wilson, Chief Executive of Operations and CHP general manager George Cunningham last week to discuss the issue.
Mr Rowley states; “At our meeting a number of issues came up that I want to explore further as I believe they are all linked with the current crisis facing our hospitals here in Fife”.
“Specifically, I want to know the numbers of beds closed over the last year in Fife hospitals, the number available but not staffed. It is difficult to see how we would be closing beds and leaving beds unstaffed while acknowledging a bed shortage put down to bed blocking”.
“I also want to know the number of planned admissions that have been cancelled in the last six months. Mr Wilson did give us examples at the meeting of where whole day schedules of planned admissions had been cancelled due to other pressures on the hospitals and beds. He pointed out that this was very costly and indicated that the operations division was heading for over £2 million overspend. Can you confirm the amount in overspend and tell me how you intend to mange this without having a detrimental impact on care in Fife?”
“I would also appreciate if you can provide me with the case for moving to one accident and emergency admissions unit in Fife. Is it not the case that having closed at least 30 beds in the Victoria Hospital results in it struggles to cope with emergency admissions and therefore you have now stoked this problem across to the Queen Margaret Hospital. Has a full impact assessment been carried out on having the one accident and emergency admissions unit based for now at the Queen Margaret Hospital and what impact is it going to have on the other pressures within the system at Queen Margaret as set out above”.
Alex Rowley said; “There are far too many unanswered questions. I went along to this meeting to ask if NHS Fife were in a position to put money in to assisting clear the bed blocking and came out realising there are major problems that are all intertwined and need addressed. I have repeatedly called for full transparency on NHS issues in Fife and I along with my colleague Andrew Roger am now seeking answers”.
