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Vale of Leven Hospital
30/06/2008
An independent expert review of specialist services at the Vale of Leven Hospital is to take place before NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde takes any further steps to consult on the future of unscheduled medical admissions.
The decision comes in the wake of the report from the Independent Scrutiny Panel commissioned by the Scottish Government last year to review proposed service change at the Vale.
The panel suggested that the Board should explore further whether a safe anaesthetics service could be sustained at the hospital in order to evaluate alternative ways of delivering care.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has now asked for a team of three expert clinicians to carry out a review of anaesthetic services, beginning today.
Ms Sturgeon said:
"The Independent Scrutiny Panel looked at the proposals made by Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board for future services at the Vale of Leven.
"The panel felt that options that might retain unscheduled medical admission should be further tested.
"As I have said many times before it is my firm belief that any significant service changes must be the subject of rigorous independent scrutiny before public consultation can take place. The identification of the need for further work reinforces the value of independent scrutiny.
"It is imperative that the local community has access to as clear a picture as possible, including that all viable service options have been considered.
"I want to assure the community served by the Vale of Leven Hospital that I will take a comprehensive view on the future of unscheduled medical admission services. I am keen to avoid undue delay to this process to prevent further anxiety about local services but I believe this further study is critical to providing as detailed a picture as possible.
"I am confident that the clinicians appointed to carry out this analysis will provide a robust assessment of the feasibility of these services."
The clinicians who will carry out the review are Professor Chris Dodds, Dr Peter Nightingale (both of the Royal College of Anaesthetists in England) and Mr James Ferguson, Consultant Surgeon in emergency medicine in NHS Grampian.
They will consider:
- Clinical data gathered at the Vale on unscheduled medical admission patients and an analysis of what this shows about patient care and outcomes
- Mortality rates, transfer rates and repeat admission rates at the Vale and how they compare to other similar hospitals
- The clinical sustainability of the current on-site anaesthetic service and its ability to provide out of hours cover for unscheduled medical admissions to the Vale
The analysis will also consider the impact of any changes for patients and workforce.