NHS Fife will face direct action from the Scottish Government if improvements aren’t quickly made following a damning report into Victoria Hospital, Health Secretary Alex Neil has revealed.
Patient care was criticised for again failing to meet the required standards in many areas at the Kirkcaldy hospital following an unannounced visit by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS).
The SNP minister said he is “very positive” about the “determined” attitude of health board chairman Alan Burns to resolve the issues as soon as possible.
Mr Neil said: “We raised the HIS report with Fife health board and we have made it absolutely clear that the recommendations from the HIS report must be implemented fully and vigorously and timeously, and that is what is happening.
“We get their regular report and of course HIS themselves will do a further unannounced visit at timing of their choosing to make sure the recommendations have been fully implemented.
“If they are not, then they will report accordingly and Fife will then have to adhere to any further regulations, but I would hope it didn’t come to that because hopefully they are going to do it at first pass.”
The report found particular issues with pensioners. In one case a frail elderly patient received no food for 10 days because staff couldn’t fit a feeding tube.
The recommendations were:
* Recording all patients’ weight and height and assessing them for possible malnutrition within 24 hours of admission.
* Developing personal nutritional care plans which must include information about help patients may need to take their meals.
* Monitoring food and fluid intakes and taking action if their intake is inadequate.
Acute services director Heather Knox said after the inspection was published: “NHS Fife has been working hard to address the issues raised and progress is being made.”