Fife’s main acute hospital is at “bursting point” as the demands of winter combine with a lack of care packages in the community, it has been claimed.
Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy is said to be operating at 109% capacity as people wait to be discharged during the busiest time of year for the NHS.
The Scottish Government has been urged to take urgent action to address the issue amid concerns for patient care and the welfare of hard-pressed staff.
NHS Fife said it was continuing to provide safe, appropriate and timely care in spite of the high demand but reiterated previous advice that people should only attend A&E in true emergencies.
The former chairman of Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership, Andrew Rodger, said operating beyond capacity usually meant cancelled operations and patients being placed wherever there is a space rather than in a ward specialising in their condition – a practice known as boarding.
“Staff are juggling because there is no slack in the system and meanwhile we have elderly people stuck in hospital waiting to be discharged,” he said.
“There’s a lot of good work going on in health and social care but it’s being undermined by a lack of co-ordination.”
Scottish Government figures released last week showed 101 delays to discharges in Fife in November, although the figure is since said to have reduced.
A fifth of the 127 operations cancelled in the region during the same month were due to a lack of capacity or another non-clinical reason, a situation reflected across the country.
Mid Scotland and Fife Labour MSP Claire Baker said that with a bed day costing an estimated £200, the NHS could not afford the “significant” cost of delayed discharges.
“The situation is a consequence of the SNP Government’s underfunding of critical services and poor workforce planning,” she said.
“It was only in October that the Victoria Hospital got a damning report into the stress of junior doctors who are having to deal with the reality of a hospital at bursting point, leading to real concerns over patient care.”
She said the number of cancelled operations highlighted the scale of the problem and added: “Urgent action must be taken to address this.”
NHS Fife’s deputy chief executive Carol Potter said winter brought a number of challenges but that plans were in place to ensure the board was as prepared as possible for the additional pressures.
“Our winter plan was enacted some months ago and the measures within it have helped ensure that we have been able to continue to provide safe appropriate and timely care in spite of high demand.
“As is often necessary during winter, we have had to postpone a small number of non-urgent planned operations in order that we prioritise those who are most acutely unwell.
“Every effort is made to re-accommodate those impacted as soon as possible.”
The Scottish Government said it had invested £20 million to improve unscheduled care all year round, including £13.4m to help reduce delayed discharges, minimise cancelled operations and ensure quality of care, patient safety and access to services are maintained during winter.
Of this, £1.2m was allocated to NHS Fife.
