Health Secretary urged to 'get a grip' on 'failing' hospital inspections system

The Conservatives said that of the 125 hospitals in Scotland currently in use, 65 had not been inspected in the last five years - or at all.

Dr Grays in Elgin is one of the hospitals which have not been checked by inspectors in the last five years
Published 12th Nov 2023
Last updated 12th Nov 2023

Health Secretary Michael Matheson is being challenged to "get a grip" of Scotland's hospital inspections, amid claims more than half of hospitals have not been visited by inspectors in the last five years.

The Conservatives said that of the 125 hospitals in Scotland currently in use, 65 had not been inspected in the last five years - or at all.

With the NHS under pressure, Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said it is "shocking that basic inspections aren't being carried out to measure how they are coping".

Since Healthcare Improvement Scotland was established in 2011, the Tories said 36 hospitals have never been visited by inspectors - including Chalmers Hospital in Banff, Blairgowrie Community Hospital and Castle Douglas Hospital.

A further 29 hospitals have not been inspected in the last five years, the party added, including Dr Gray's in Elgin, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow.

Dr Gulhane, who is a GP as well as a Conservative MSP, said: "The fact that over half of hospitals across Scotland haven't been inspected in five years is gravely concerning.

"Inspections play a vital role in reassuring patients and staff that their hospital is safe and operating as it should be."

He added it is "especially alarming" that hospitals in rural areas have been "disproportionately affected".

Dr Gulhane said: "Those living in rural areas already face too many barriers to accessing healthcare. They should be able to take comfort in knowing that, when they do access it, they are receiving the best care at their local hospital. That goes for all patients across Scotland.

"At a time when our NHS is overwhelmed and hardworking frontline staff are under immense pressure, it is shocking that basic inspections aren't being carried out to measure how they are coping.

"For too long NHS patients have suffered at the hands of the SNP's dire workforce planning and mismanagement of our health service. It appears that under-resourcing extends to inspections too.

"Michael Matheson must take steps urgently to get a grip of Scotland's failing inspections system."

A spokesperson for Healthcare Improvement Scotland said: "Our programme of NHS hospital inspections is focused on assuring the safe delivery of care. Taking account of changing risks and service pressures since the Covid-19 pandemic, we have been adapting our inspection process to continue to provide robust public assurance that is reflective of, and responsive to, the service pressures currently faced by the NHS in Scotland.

"Our approach remains focused on helping services identify and minimise risk to support patient safety and continuous improvement.

"We have an established inspection prioritisation procedure in place which helps us to target inspection resources to best effect. The process for prioritising inspections is regularly refreshed and includes analysis of a range of available data and intelligence to identify issues and adapt our inspection focus accordingly."

The spokesperson continued: "Our current inspection process is much broader than previous inspection approaches, considering a complex and comprehensive range of factors that impact on safety and quality of care, to provide assurance to patients and the public, and support ongoing improvements in care.

"Following each inspection, we publish inspection reports to outline our findings and the actions being taken by NHS boards in response to our findings."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) carries out its inspectorate function of health boards independently from government.

"HIS make unannounced inspections and it is for the organisation to decide which facilities to visit and how frequently.

"There are 44 acute hospital sites in Scotland which HIS prioritises with an aim of inspecting each of them every three years.

"Independent inspections are key to identifying issues and making sure these are addressed and help to support health boards to continuously improve the services they deliver."

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