Staff shortages strike again at Victoria Hospital
A staffing shortage at Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital, which became critical on Thursday evening due to the illness of a locum doctor, has forced NHS Fife to implement what it call its 'full contingency plan' this weekend.
- By Gordon Berry and Bruce Fegen
- Published in the Courier : 10.07.10
- Published online : 10.07.10 @ 11.13am
The health authority announced that "despite its best efforts" acute medical admissions would be only to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline overnight tonight and tomorrow night.
In addition, overnight, the A&E department at Victoria Hospital will operate only as a minor injuries unit.
NHS Fife said that anyone who is sufficiently seriously ill to require an ambulance will be taken directly to Queen Margaret Hospital.
Other people should take the action they would normally take if they are unwell overnight -- e.g. contact the primary care emergency service or NHS 24, both of which are fully aware of the contingency plan.
Patients who attend the Victoria Hospital can still be seen by an emergency nurse practitioner who has support from the medical staff in the hospital.
All the arrangements will operate from 5pm each evening until 8am the following morning.
NHS Fife said the reason was a late, unexpected gap in medical staffing overnight for the weekend, and that it had not been possible to obtain any locum doctor cover. It added that the Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24 and general practitioners have been informed.
The contingency plan was prepared by NHS Fife to cater for situations when medical staffing difficulties mean that it is not possible to accept medical admissions overnight at the Victoria Hospital.
It is the second weekend in a row that acute medical admissions at the Victoria Hospital have been hit for the same reasons, although on the previous occasion only Sunday night was involved.
In May, the region's health authority was forced to implement the full plan for a week when, in addition to the transfer of medical admissions, A&E services were concentrated at Queen Margaret Hospital, with a minor injuries unit operating at Victoria Hospital.
NHS Fife said the need to prepare the contingency plan was a result of reductions in the hours which medical staff can work because of the European Working Time Regulations and changes in clinical practice which have led to increasing specialisation.
In addition, options such as the recruitment of locums, are proving increasingly difficult.
The health authority said that NHS Fife's primary concern was to ensure that clinical services were being provided with safe levels of medical staffing.
The implementation of the contingency plan will remain under review in the light of changes to the clinical staffing available.
09.18pm - 11.07.2010 Dawn Nelson - Dunfermline, Fife Report This
This situation regarding emergency cover at Victoria Hospital should strengthen the need for the A&E at Queen Margaret to remain open when renovations have been completed at Victoria Hospital. Fife needs more than one hospital use Queen Margaret to its full potential it has the ability to cope
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