NHS chairman apologises for 'some incidents of bullying'

CLAIMS of bullying which have rocked NHS Highland are taking a toll on a growing number of the organisation’s staff, according to its chairman.

In an exclusive interview David Alston apologised that there have been incidents of bullying.

It is the first time Mr Alston has spoken at length about the allegations as well as problems relating to recruitment and finances.

Members of the Scottish Parliament are to debate the scope of an independent inquiry into the allegations later this month. It comes after four whistle-blowers signed an open letter in September revealing their “serious concerns around a long-standing bullying culture” in NHS Highland.

Mr Alston said: “We are really sorry that there have been some incidents of bullying.

“We do our best to manage bullying within our policies. No doubt we will have got some things wrong and of course we regret this.

“We apologise for this just as we apologise when we get patient care wrong. It is distressing for all concerned.

“Since the allegations were brought to the attention of the board, despite significant effort, we have been unable to fully understand the nature, extent and causes of the concerns being raised.

“What is clear, however, is there are a growing number of staff feeling distressed and concerned about their working environment.

“We are therefore very pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has publicly accepted our request for external support into allegations of a systemic culture of bullying across NHS Highland.

“The terms of reference will need to be drawn up by the Scottish Government, in conjunction with representatives. The sooner this can happen the better it will be for all concerned and allow the process of reconciliation to happen.”

It is feared that the allegations will destroy the health authority’s recruitment prospects. Regional MSP Ed Mountain expressed concerns after a staff letter spelling out the bruising extent of financial cuts the board is making to tackle its latest budget crisis was leaked.

The staff letter, from Raigmore Hospital’s head of acute services Katherine Sutton, lists key savings targets including drugs cost containment of £2.2 million in oncology, haematology, neurology, rheumatology, gastroenterology and ophthalmology.

It also confirms an aim to restrict spending on locum and agency staff by managing costs “within available budgets”.

The organisation has also not yet identified a new chief executive to replace Elaine Mead, who leaves next month.

Mr Alston said: “NHS Highland, like all other boards, is now experiencing increasing challenges due to having an older workforce – with increased numbers of staff retiring and also a decreasing pool of people of a working age to recruit from.

“Changes in medicine and in particular increasing specialisation is a growing challenge for remote boards.

“It is clear that sustaining the current staffing model is no longer possible and therefore we are focusing on the redesign of services and roles to ensure sustainability into the future.

“A key part of this strategy is to highlight that rural practice should not be isolated practice, and interested parties can learn more about the professional development opportunities available, including encouraging them to develop special interests and work as part of a network with specialists in Highland.”

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government’s latest NHS Highland debt write-off was confirmed last month.

It followed a report from Scotland’s public body financial watchdog, Auditor General Caroline Gardner, who concluded she had “serious reservations” about the board’s ability to make necessary changes to balance the books in future.

NHS Highland has projected a £19 million to £23 million budget gap this year. It needed a £15 million Scottish Government loan in 2017-18 and is currently working on a long-term recovery plan.

Mr Alston added: “NHS Highland’s financial challenges have been widely reported and we continue to work closely with the Scottish Government as we develop longer term plans to return to financial balance. We also have concerns over the expenditure on locum medical staff which remains very substantial.

“The underlying reason for this expenditure is difficulty in recruitment due to a shortage of medical specialties at both consultant and junior doctor level and the absolute need to maintain vital services in our remote locations, particularly the rural general hospitals.

“We welcome the decision to write-off historic brokerage debts. The repayment of brokerage had been expected to start once the board returns to financial balance – in three to five years – and it is then that the financial benefit of this decision will materialise.”

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