NHS Western Isles

I have previously alluded to problems within the local health service. In my parallel blog Arnish Lighthouse I have frequently reported on this, and expressed deep misgivings about willingness on the part of the Scottish Executive to implement change.

At the moment, the NHS here runs a deficit of £2.5m / $1.3m, which should be seen against a backdrop of a population of 25,000. Indeed, twenty-five thousand. Another Health Board in Scotland, Argyll & Clyde, was abolished after running up a deficit of £80 m / $ 40m; this over a population of 1 million or thereabouts.

The financial deficit is not the worst problem. Health Services the length and breadth of the UK are running at a loss, because of staffing expenditure, increasing costs of medical treatments and procedures and the influences of the market place.
Allegations of systematic and endemic bullying have been emanating from the hospital in Stornoway for a couple of years. Bullying extending to the very top levels, such as the Chairman, Chief Executive and Medical Director of the Board. This means that any failings in the organisation cannot be fed back to management level, i.e. they are not addressed. Furthermore, because of government targets regarding waiting times in A&E prior to formal admission, patients are often discharged to clear beds for new patients, even though the old patient is not, strictly speaking, medically fit for discharge. Referred to as the revolving door syndrome, the patient duly comes back in within 24-48 hours.

This came to a head when changes needed to be implemented late last year. Staff feedback led to bullying and harassment. So, the staff started talking to people outside the organisation. Like the local councillors. Western Isles Council (the Comhairle) is represented on the Health Board, but was also silenced upon expressing concerns. Two meetings were organised in Stornoway Town Hall late last year for members of staff to express their concerns and vent their spleen.

The Member of Scottish Parliament finally became involved as well, and he spoke to the Health Minister for the Scottish Executive. But it wasn't until the Trades Unions started to get involved and threatened strike action that action appeared to be taken. A sacrificial lamb was led to the slaughter - the Chairman to the Board resigned. A new management team was sent to Stornoway to take over.Note that nobody else left their post. The Health Minister came to Lewis last Tuesday, to find the offices of the Board locked against him. He gave the Board a final chance. Funny thing is though that he had given them a final chance 11 months ago.

It now transpires that the Health Minister and the Chief Executive to the Board, one of the prime suspects for the bullying and harassment, were buddies at university. Methinks that after the elections to the Scottish Parliament, in May 2007, the Western Isles Health Board will be wound up and merged with NHS Highland and NHS Argyll and Bute, adjacent areas. Is this corruption?