A severe shortage of doctors could force the closure of vital community hospital beds in Fife.
The Courier has learned that eight beds could be axed at Cameron Hospital in Windygates, where just one doctor has been working up to 60 hours per week in an effort to treat 80 patients on his own.
Health chiefs have been unable to recruit additional medical staff, despite offering locum rates of £85 per hour.
It is understood the only doctor covering Glenrothes Hospital is also considering leaving.
A briefing note, seen by The Courier, states that the Cameron doctor is at increased risk of going off sick as a result of his workload and adds: “Were he to go off ill, there would be no Cameron doctor.”
The situation has been described as high risk with no resilience and it has raised serious questions about the Scottish Government’s flagship policy of integrated health and social care, which hinges on ensuring patients who do not need acute hospital care are moved into a community setting as quickly as possible to free up acute beds.
In Fife, it has meant a huge reduction in delayed discharges and people being treated more quickly but community beds are operating at full capacity and staff are said to be under immense pressure.
Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Alex Rowley said it was imperative that people knew the extent of the difficulties the NHS was operating under.
The mid Scotland and Fife MSP said: “I am concerned that whilst the community beds are operating at full capacity there seems to be an appetite within NHS Fife to cut the number of beds to meet the financial cuts being forced on the board.
“This would not be acceptable under any circumstances and makes no sense given the level of demand on beds.
“I believe there is a need for greater transparency around this provision and around the shortages of specialist staff, including consultants and nurses and what it is costing to plug the gaps.”
Mr Rowley added: “Staff in hospitals are run off their feet, are under immense pressure and are being asked to do more and more to meet the gaps caused by cuts to budgets and the failure of workforce planning.”
Michael Kellet, director of Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership, said one of two doctors covering Cameron and Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital in Buckhaven had left and efforts were continuing to find a replacement.
“Support is being provided in the interim by locum doctors and advanced nursing practitioners to ensure we continue to provide the highest quality of care until a permanent appointment is made,” he said.
Some patients previously requiring acute in-patient treatment remain under the care of their consultant, based at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital.
