PFI firm awards itself top marks for running hospital

THE private firm which runs Edinburgh's biggest hospital has received top marks for its performance - in reports it produces itself.

Consort - which receives more than 50 million a year from NHS Lothian for operating Edinburgh Royal Infirmary - has to score itself on a range of areas and submit the reports to the health board.

But critics say these ratings -which appear to be never worse than 98 per cent - bear little resemblance to what happens on the ground at Little France, or indeed what the reports themselves actually reveal.

Sources also said that despite the apparent discrepancies, the PFI Contract Reports are still held up as evidence by Consort that it is doing a good job maintaining the hospital.

Similar processes are in place for other PFI hospitals in Scotland, although the results are not available to the public.

Since January, Consort awarded itself a 100 per cent mark for security. This is despite 438 incidents being reported, including 14 thefts, several arrests and numerous assaults, the worst of which involved three thugs lobbing stones at security guards after being thrown out of A&E.

Despite serving 219,000 hospital meals in the past three months, Consort claims not to have received a single complaint about food. However, this may be because one verbal grievance, followed up by two letters, are required before a gripe is considered "a complaint".

Previous reports by the Scottish Government found that one in ten Lothians patients found the quality of hospital meals unsatisfactory.

In the same report that lauds catering as being 98 per cent satisfactory, a series of cleanliness issues were highlighted, including "filthy" conditions in parts of some kitchens and the risk of mouse infestation.

A source said: "It is laughable. Everyone who works in the ERI knows there are ongoing problems with many things, all of which Consort are marking themselves 100 per cent for.

"There is a serious side to it. If Consort is challenged on these issues, it can produce months and months of reports which it will say, under the terms of the PFI agreement, prove it is doing an outstanding job."

Facilities, which includes the maintenance of lifts, scored exceptionally, despite tests finding that when a lift alarm is activated, nobody responds. In January, reports showed, four people were trapped in ERI lifts, with response teams taking nearly 20 minutes to address the problem each time.

Car parking never posed a problem for Consort, studies showed, despite health chiefs previously admitting it was patients' and relatives' most complained about topic.

Tom Waterson, Unison's Lothian branch chairman, said: "This is another example of a failed PFI contract that quite clearly favours the private sector over the public."Consort is paid tens of millions of pounds each year without a proper monitoring exercise in place."

NHS Lothian confirmed the performance reports were submitted as part of the contracted agreement for the hospital, and that Consort is "robustly held to account" on the work it carries out. No-one from Consort was available for comment.

FACILITIES 99%

What really happened:

In January four people were stuck in lifts for an average of more than 15 minutes before facilities staff bothered to respond. Lifts failed on 65 occasions, but this didn't affect the near flawless score. In one ward, ventilation problems combined with a leaking toilet left patients complaining of a bad smell.

CAR PARKING 100%

What really happened:

Despite a four per cent rise in the number of cars coming to the ERI this year, it seems all drivers are perfectly happy with the service. Or, if you read NHS Lothian reports, it is the single most complained about issue. At certain times of the day it is near-impossible to find a space in the hospital, forcing desperate relatives to abandon cars, where the circling traffic warden - who is almost permanently based at Little France - swoops with a ticket.

SECURITY 100%

What really happened:

There were 438 "incidents" at the ERI between January and March, including 14 arrests, 14 thefts and recurring problems with graffiti. Around 20 patients a month go missing, with police often called to track them down.

CATERING 99%

What really happened:

No "formal" complaints were received in this time (but that's probably because it takes one verbal response and two letters before complaints are formally noted). The reports revealed ongoing concerns about the quality of food preparation areas, while managers hosting hospitality events said sandwiches were "dried up". Random tasting also led to criticism of the broccoli.