'Victorian' ordeal for freezing NHS patients

Published on Thursday 8 January 2009 20:59

THE Scottish Government's approach to health-care was branded "Victorian" yesterday, as opponents said patients in one hospital were being left without proper heating.

Problems with the heating system in a surgical block at Glasgow's Southern General have left wards without heat, with staff forced to hand out extra blankets to patients.

Labour's health spokeswoman, Cathy Jamieson, called the situation "appalling".

The health board insisted the problem was "sporadic" and said work was being carried out to fix the heating system.

The attack comes as the NHS in Scotland faces mounting pressures to save money, while battling to update buildings.

Health boards are also under pressure as winter illnesses soar with the cold weather.

The 19th-century block affected at the Southern will eventually be replaced when a new 850 million hospital is built. But Ms Jamieson criticised NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for allowing the heating problem to carry on for months.

"We are experiencing the coldest winter for many years and patients are being let down," she said. "Such a Victorian approach to health-care is unacceptable."

The health board said it had committed 1.5 million to upgrading the heating, with work to be completed by March.

It also pointed out that the heating system to the block did not fail outright, but admitted heating to one ward was sometimes interrupted.

"Our engineers are called out immediately and usually rectify any problems within a few hours," the board said.

Margaret Watt, chairman of the Scotland Patients Association, said people across Scotland were concerned about the decaying fabric of health facilities.

"People are scared to go into hospital as they see the shabby buildings and worry what they might catch," she said.

The NHS in Scotland is expected to make efficiency savings of 2 per cent over the next three years, amounting to more than 154.5 million in the current financial year, to reinvest in frontline health services.

Last year, Audit Scotland said the NHS Scotland's finances had improved, but the service faced "challenging times".

Andrew Walker, a health economist at Glasgow University, said other cost pressures facing the NHS included the expansion of services to tackle lifestyle issues, such as obesity and alcohol abuse, and the development of new and expensive drugs.