Scottish health board escalated to stage 4 alert as risk branded 'hugely concerning'

The Scottish Government is stepping up its involvement in NHS Grampian amid “continuing concerns” about the health board’s performance.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said that while NHS Grampian staff “continue to work tirelessly to deliver the high quality care we expect”, there were “continuing concerns about financial management and associated operational pressures”.

The risk level for NHS Grampian has been raised to the second highest level. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

As a result the Scottish Government announced on Monday the board was being moved to stage four of NHS Scotland’s national performance framework – the second highest level of intervention.

Such a move means there are “significant risks to delivery” and that tailored support “is not producing the required improvements”.

READ MORE: SNP deputy Kate Forbes reveals how she will vote on Scotland assisted dying laws

NHS Grampian will now be provided with senior external support and monitoring, with an assurance board set up that will be chaired by the Scottish Government.

Mr Gray said in NHS Grampian, external consultants would be sent in to “help inform a tailored package of support”.

The health secretary said: “Escalation to stage four will bring enhanced scrutiny and support from the Scottish Government and we will work with Grampian to ensure sustained improvement.

Join the thousands of Scots who receive our newsletter every day

“This will include a whole system diagnostic to be carried out by an external consultancy to help inform a tailored package of support.”

Health Secretary Neil Gray. Picture: Andrew Milligan

Mr Gray added: “I am confident that, through these actions, we will soon have a clear plan to stabilise the system and set the right conditions for the necessary, longer-term transformational work – with the key aim being to ensure the sustainable delivery of high quality healthcare services for the benefit of local people.”

Scottish Conservative North East MSP Tess White said, however, the situation at NHS Grampian was “hugely concerning and underlines the deepening crisis facing the health board”.

Raising issues such as “ambulance stacking” at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, and the performance against waiting times targets in accident and emergency, and for cancer and mental health patients, Ms White added: “NHS Grampian has been placed on life support due to years of mismanagement by the SNP Government that has created an enormous black hole in the health board’s finances.”

The Tory insisted: “Successive SNP health secretaries have failed to get a grip of this crisis at NHS Grampian for far too long, which has left the health board at breaking point.

“The Scottish Government must now take steps to put patients and staff first by ensuring urgent measures are in place to lift NHS Grampian out of this dire predicament.”

NHS Grampian declared a “critical incident” in November last year caused by what was described as “extreme pressure”, with patients diverted to hospitals outside its area and elective procedures postponed.

Health board bosses said at the time the “very high demand” meant ambulance patients who did not need life-saving treatment would be taken to hospitals outside Grampian instead of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

NHS Grampian chief executive Adam Coldwells said when the incident was announced: "These options will assist us in the short term; we continue to work with our health & social care partnership colleagues to increase bed capacity to manage current demand across Grampian.”