NHS watchdog apologises to doctors over handling of patient safety concerns

An NHS watchdog has apologised to consultants at one of Scotland’s flagship hospitals for its “shortcomings” in investigating patient safety concerns.

Doctors working at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) emergency department alerted Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) in May 2023 of 18 months’ worth of evidence on overcrowding and staff shortages which they say “seriously compromised” the safety of patients.

However, the watchdog did not ask to see that evidence or meet with the 29 consultants who flagged the concerns, instead launching an investigation and speaking with senior executives at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC).

The investigation was closed in August last year.

However, the watchdog upheld complaints in January this year that consultants were not given the opportunity to discuss their concerns, or present their evidence.

A letter, seen by BBC Scotland, from HIS chief executive Robbie Pearson, said: “I would like to offer my sincere, unreserved apology for our shortcomings in this matter and the clear distress they caused you all.”

He also offered an “assurance” that HIS will learn lessons as a result of the complaint.

The watchdog has now been presented with the evidence from consultants.

Dr Lailah Peel, deputy chair of BMA Scotland and an A&E doctor, told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “The fact that consultants have had to go to that level to raise these kind of concerns, and then they’ve been essentially ignored until this point, is really, really worrying.

“What we really need to see now is not just an apology but some actual action that is going to help these consultants, help the whole department, and help patient safety.”

But she warned that overcrowding was a concern all across hospitals in Scotland, adding that “no A&E staff member will be able to tell you they have not seen harm happen to a patient that could’ve been avoidable in the last three years”.

A spokesman for HIS said: “We can confirm that we first received patient safety concerns in May 2023 from consultants at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital regarding the hospital’s emergency department.

“These concerns were considered through our responding to concerns process, which allows NHS staff to raise concerns in confidence about the quality and safety of healthcare.

“Following our initial response outlining our findings, we received a complaint from the consultants about their experience of the process. We met with the consultants and agreed with aspects of their complaint and instigated action to address the issues that were raised.

“We take the findings of the complaint very seriously and are committed to ensuring that our processes for handling concerns about patient safety are robust.

“We recently received additional information from the consultants about their patient safety concerns, and this information is currently being considered.

“Meeting again with the consultants will be part of our process for considering these concerns.”

An NHSGGC spokesman said: “We are committed to improving the patient experience at the QEUH and have been working with consultants within the emergency department (ED) alongside HIS following concerns raised around staffing and capacity levels.

“The ED team are involved in hospital-wide plans to support the department by relieving pressures on the front door and improving overall patient safety which remains our top priority.”