Patients to get slower, better hospital care

NURSES will have more time to offer quality care to patients under a new initiative planned by the Scottish Government.

The scheme sees more of an emphasis placed on quality treatment rather than speed and waiting times.

The Releasing Time to Care project will be rolled out across NHS Lothian, with Holyrood saying it should improve people's experience in hospitals.

In pilots elsewhere in Scotland the amount of time staff have been able to dedicate to patients has increased by up to 40 per cent. Health chiefs said it had improved morale in the workforce and efficiency.

Nicola Sturgeon, the health secretary, said: "This innovative programme is improving patient and staff experience, as well as improving efficiency and productivity.

"It is exactly the kind of thing that I want to see more of as the Quality Strategy develops. The Quality Strategy will put patients at the heart of everything the NHS does and give people a new confidence in the health service.

"All too often I hear people say of their dealings with the NHS that the clinical care was good, but that the food or communication could have been better or that they didn't feel they were treated with enough dignity and respect.

"The task facing us all is to ensure the way patients are treated becomes as important as how quickly they are treated."