Doctors call for major incident as hospital 'unsafe'

Senior doctors moving astatine a Glasgow infirmary person asked for a 'major incident' to beryllium called this week but had their petition declined, BBC Scotland News understands.

Emergency medicine consultants described conditions successful the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) arsenic "grossly" unsafe with nary country to instrumentality successful caller patients connected Monday evening.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it has a "robust system" successful spot to woody with further pressures which were implemented.

Last week, NHS Grampian declared a much terrible 'critical incident' due to the fact that Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was full.

Documents seen by BBC Scotland News picture the full infirmary tract successful astatine the QUEH successful Glasgow arsenic being "completely overwhelmed" connected Monday evening.

The exigency medicine consultants said a deficiency of capableness successful mishap and exigency near 1 diligent waiting astir six hours successful the backmost of an ambulance with a fractured hip.

At the aforesaid clip 5 ambulances were connected way and a further 19 expected to be the hospital.

The papers states that discussions took spot involving the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde main enforcement Jane Grant astir whether a large incidental should beryllium called, but it was declined.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said each of its services are nether "considerable pressure" with the accomplishment of wintertime bringing further challenges.

In a statement, the hospital's committee said: "The A&E section astatine the QUEH has experienced peculiar pressures successful caller days, and we would similar to apologise to anyone who had to hold longer than they would person expected.

"NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has successful spot a robust strategy of escalation policies to assistance mitigate further pressures, and these were implemented yesterday.

"The anticipation of declaring a large incidental was raised during a treatment astir pressures connected the section and infirmary capacity, but fixed the mitigations that had been enactment successful spot that treatment was taken nary further."

A health-related large incidental is described arsenic immoderate occurrence presenting a superior menace to the wellness of the community.

It is defined successful the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP) as: “An lawsuit oregon concern with a scope of superior consequences that necessitate peculiar arrangements to beryllium implemented by 1 oregon much exigency responder.”

It is apt to impact disruption of services and necessitate the implementation of peculiar arrangements by aggregate agencies specified arsenic hospitals, ambulance, and superior attraction trusts.

All hospitals are required to person plans successful spot successful the lawsuit of a large incidental being declared. tTis mightiness see measures specified arsenic non-urgent procedures being cancelled oregon ambulances being diverted.

Health boards tin besides state concern continuity incidents and captious incidents.

Last week, NHS Grampian said it had taken the "significant step" of declaring a captious committee incidental owed to sustained and continuing demands connected Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).

Patients requiring contiguous life-saving attraction were inactive dealt with astatine ARI but different patients were diverted hospitals successful Dundee and Elgin erstwhile it is deemed "clinically appropriate" to bash so.

Some elective procedures and appointments were besides postponed.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said "patient information is paramount" pursuing the captious incident.

He added: “This benignant of sustained unit that services are facing is not unsocial to Scotland, akin challenges are being felt crossed the UK.

“While Scotland continues to person the champion performing halfway A&E departments successful the UK, show is not of the modular we each expect."

Hospitals successful Scotland person been facing increasing pressures successful caller years.

A reappraisal by Audit Scotland said cardinal alteration successful however NHS services are provided successful Scotland is "urgently needed" to header with increasing demand.