NHS staff suspended over claims of doctored waiting times

Two members of staff have been suspended as part of an investigation into claims an NHS board doctored waiting times figures to meet targets.

NHS Lothian said the disciplinary procedure was launched as part of a “critical incident review” into the allegations, revealed yesterday by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon.

She has ordered further probes into management culture at the board, saying some staff felt pressured to find “tactical solutions” to waiting times rather than tackle the root problem.

It emerged in October last year that patients were referred to Northumberland for treatment. When they declined, they were not included on a list of patients waiting the target of 18 weeks for treatment.

All 1,234 people referred for care south of the border have now been treated, the NHS said.

In a statement released by NHS Lothian, director of human resources Alan Boyter said: “We are currently carrying out a critical incident review and based on its emergent themes, steps have been taken today to suspend two members of staff pending further investigation.

“We are actively reviewing our management arrangements and have already reduced these by 80, streamlining our management to improve communications.

“We do not tolerate any form of bullying and harassment and this is monitored by annual surveys. This is a message sent out to all employees when they join us and any time such behaviour is proven we are robust in tackling it.

“We pride ourselves as being an open and transparent organisation which deals with challenging situations as soon as they are brought to our attention.”

Ms Sturgeon said NHS Lothian betrayed patients by marking them as unavailable to artificially reduce the number in breach of the statutory waiting times guarantees.

She was given the details in an independent report by professional services firm PWC.

In a statement to Parliament yesterday, she said: “My reaction to this report is one of disappointment and considerable anger.

“Waiting times guarantees matter. Patients value them and staff work hard to deliver them. I will not tolerate the manipulation of them.”

Disciplinary proceedings are under way into what could be “serious misconduct”, she said.

Ms Sturgeon said the “unacceptable practices” have now ended in Lothian.

She said each NHS board in Scotland will now carry out an audit of waiting times management for 2012-13, with the results made public.