Snap ward inspections to spot elderly neglect across Scotland

The Scottish Government’s health watchdog, Health Improvement Scotland (HIS), will begin making the surprise visits in a bid to assess factors including nutrition, dementia care and the level of dignity and respect given by nursing staff to elderly patients.

The move comes on the back of a damning report into the standard of care at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, which highlighted problems with patient privacy and how patients were not assessed for dementia or pressure sores.

The HIS report, published earlier this week, highlighted how patients using walking frames were unable to access toilets on some wards. It also noted a shortage of bathing facilities on some wards. Previous inspections have highlighted the need for improvements at Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride, NHS Lothian’s Western General and the Western Infirmary in Glasgow.

News of the surprise spot checks was welcomed by charities for older people and dementia sufferers, who said care procedures were not always followed in hospitals.

HIS was given the power to inspect hospitals without warning when it was set up by health secretary Nicola Sturgeon last year, but until now staff gave up to four weeks’ notice that inspectors were turning up.

The watchdog’s chief inspector, Susan Brimelow, yesterday revealed the first unannounced spot check will take place in July with more to follow throughout the year.

She said: “I believe hospitals should be ready for inspection at any time. I would rather that hospitals focus on improvements for patients, rather than being prepared for inspections.”

Ms Brimelow said public opinion backed the spot checks and believed the unannounced visits were the best method of ensuring high standards.

Inspectors normally visit hospitals with a note of areas of possible concern, but are free to look into and comment on any issue they see during their visit.