Ministers have placed the region’s beleaguered health board under direct oversight amid leadership concerns - with one MSP claiming existing management are in the “last chance saloon”.
NHS Forth Valley was placed on Stage 4 of the National Performance Framework for Governance, Leadership and Culture following concerns that the health board’s leadership have failed to make improvements in a “number of key areas”.
It follows consistent poor performances in areas such as accident and emergency waiting times and long delays for desperate young people waiting to receive vital mental health support from CAMHS - the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
The most recent data reveals that just 51.8 per cent of patients turning up at A&E in Forth Valley were seen within four hours, while around 40 per cent of those still waiting for CAMHS support in June locally had been doing so for more than a year.
The working environment at Forth Valley Royal Hospital has also come under fire in recent weeks following the resignation of five respiratory consultants alongside surging patient numbers at the unit.
In a statement at Holyrood on Wednesday, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf confirmed the move to Stage 4 - which will see the Scottish Government oversee the development and delivery of the health board’s plan to address concerns raised in key areas.
Mr Yousaf also announced that a report of a recent unannounced inspection by watchdog Healthcare Improvement Scotland to the hospital will be published in the coming weeks.
He said: “Staff in NHS Forth Valley continue to work tirelessly to deliver the high quality care we expect. However, there are continuing concerns about the ability of the leadership to effectively respond to issues when raised.
“We have been engaging with NHS Forth Valley for some time on a range of performance-related issues, including concerns around GP out-of-hours services and unscheduled care.
“The common barrier to improvement in these areas is governance, leadership and culture.
“Escalation to Stage 4 will bring direct oversight from the Scottish Government and we will work with Forth Valley to ensure immediate improvement. Significant work is already under way to address the legitimate concerns raised and I will update Parliament as progress is made.”
Clackmannanshire and Dunblane MSP Keith Brown backed the move, saying: “Obviously it is of real concern that the issues facing Forth Valley have reached the stage where an intervention of this nature is required, but I am pleased that matters are being taken seriously and that this intervention has been made. I have been raising various concerns about a range of issues relating to NHS Forth Valley and it is good to see the Scottish Government taking action.”
Conservative Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alexander Stewart said the move to Stage 4 was a “damning indictment” of the leadership at the health board and said Mr Yousaf’s statement showed how seriously the issues were being taken.
Mr Stewart said: “This is a damning indictment of the board and senior management and is a last chance saloon for NHS Forth Valley.
“I have over recent months exposed the shortcomings of this health board when it comes to A&E targets, patient waiting times, mental health assessments, out of hours services and, most recently, last week at First Minister’s Questions, exposed the toxic and bullying culture at the Larbert facility which saw five consultants resign within two weeks.
“I will continue to monitor the situation and there requires to be a sea-change in attitude and support of the staff who are going above and beyond to provide health care in the region.
“Communication at all levels in this health board needs to improve to ensure that facilities across NHS Forth Valley are safe and fit for purpose.”
Unions also welcomed the move to Stage 4, but said it would not address key issues related to recruitment and short-staffing across the NHS.
A Unison Scotland spokesperson said: “Unison will of course cooperate fully and work constructively with the transformation team put in place by the Scottish Government.
“We will though be making clear to them that no improvement plan will solve the fundamental issues faced by patients and staff if it does not tackle the recruitment and staffing crisis we face.
“It is all very well for the Health Secretary to talk about holding managers feet to the fire – but that is the sort of management culture we need to get away from.
“He would do well to consider how that attitude will impact on staff throughout the Board who are already under immense pressure.”
An NHS Forth Valley spokesperson said: “We welcome the additional support being provided and are committed to working closely with the Scottish Government to deliver any changes or improvements recommended by the Assurance Board.”
