Sturgeon orders probe into hospital check leak

Published on Friday 22 January 2010 08:48

AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after it emerged hospital staff knew in advance which wards at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary would be targeted during what is supposed to be a random hygiene inspection.

The Evening News has discovered that details of which wards would be inspected were leaked before the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) visited Little France this week, allowing hurried repairs and cleaning to take place.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon today called the situation unacceptable, and the inspectorate has launched its own inquiry into who tipped off the company that runs the hospital which clinical areas would be inspected. A new unannounced inspection has also been ordered.

Ms Sturgeon said : "The HEI process is clear. For an announced inspection, it is known in advance when the hospital will be inspected, but not which wards. It appears this has not happened in this case, which is unacceptable, and I have demanded an explanation.

"I am pleased that the inspectorate have confirmed they will return to ERI to carry out an unannounced inspection and I look forward to seeing the results."

It was reported in the Evening News on Monday how frantic repairs and cleaning were underway ahead of the inspection, but it has now emerged that Balfour Beatty Work Place (BBWP) – the company which maintains the PFI hospital – knew to target wards 107, 203, 205 and 210, with some sources saying there were "more workmen than nurses".

The Evening News has seen communications between a senior hospital figure and the HEI which demands to know how details of the inspection were so widely known in advance.

Tom Waterson, the chairman of Unison's Scottish health committee, said: "An inquiry into this should now take place and, at the very least, the report should be thrown in the bin and the team visit again, because otherwise it is worth nothing, whether the report is good, bad or indifferent.

"I've heard from several staff members that BBWP had a list showing which areas would be looked at, and work was then carried out on these wards."

The profile of the HEI inspections, which are controlled by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, is already high after the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was heavily criticised at the end of last year for a series of shortcomings.

Susan Brimelow, chief inspector of HEI,

said: "We are extremely disappointed to now learn that the ERI knew which wards were to be inspected prior to the visit, and therefore we will return for an unannounced HEI visit.

"We will also conduct an investigation into our own policies and procedures."

One leading figure at the hospital, who we agreed not to name, said the fact that the specific wards were to be inspected was "common knowledge" and that even those not close to Balfour Beatty knew this.

Margaret Watt, chairwoman of the Scotland Patients Association, added: "This report should be thrown out and done again, and the mole who leaked the information found. Why does it take an inspection for these people to bring the hospital to the standard we all expect?"

Mike Grieve, director of delivery for NHS Lothian, insisted the hospital had been prepared for the inspectors to go "anywhere".

"That is why, when they had to change their plans at the last minute and visit another ward because of a patient's illness, we were happy for them to choose another area."

Balfour Beatty declined to comment.