SOME patients at an Ayrshire hospital spent up to 28 hours on trolleys in corridors while waiting for treatment, with some spending three days on recliner chairs before being admitted, a report has found.
Inspectors at Healthcare Improvement Scotland visited University Crosshouse in Kilmarnock in May and recorded incidents of patients waiting for treatment in the combined assessment unit (CAU) for a full day, being cared for in mixed-sex bays, overcrowding and staff shortages.
A report published on Wednesday showed older adults waiting to receive treatment did not always have care needs such as personal hygiene or food and nutrition met.
The longest length of stay for patients within CAU and corridors was between 19 and 28 hours.
The report stated that some patients were being cared for in corridors for lengthy periods of time and requirements such as washing, showering and toileting “could not be met”.
Some patients often slept in recliner chairs for up to three days, inspectors were told, increasing the risk pf pressure sores.
Inspectors felt NHS Ayrshire and Arran were unable to show they could manage these patients safely and managers did not have sufficient oversight of care provided in both accident and emergency and CAU areas of the hospital.
Additional beds were found in some six-bay wards that did not have oxygen facilities or power outlets for monitoring equipment as part of the hospital’s full capacity plan.
When inspectors challenged hospital bosses on this, they were advised staff should check patients met the clinical criteria to be placed in an additional bed.
The report also found re-direction and signposting guidance was not always in place for patients who did not need to attend accident and emergency.
At the time of the inspection, the fire alarm sounded, but staff were not able to move patients because they did not know how.
Staff were praised for their teamwork and kindness towards patients they were caring for and the report recognised they were working hard to ensure patients were well cared for and their care needs were met.
The report also recognised the staff shortages and high number of vacancies within the health board.
Covid-19 protocol was followed well and staff consistently asked patients and staff entering the hospital screening questions.
Commenting on the report, Donna Maclean, Head of Service, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “At the time of inspection, University Hospital Crosshouse was experiencing a significant range of pressures associated with Covid-19, including increased hospital admissions, increased waiting times in emergency departments and reduced staff availability.
“During our inspection we observed staff in clinical areas working hard to provide care.
“We observed examples of good teamwork and communication, and positive interactions between staff and patients.
“We also observed staff shortages and overcrowding, due to increased patient numbers, and we identified that patient care needs were not always being met.
“We have already returned to the hospital to follow up on the patient safety issues and we were still not assured all of our concerns had been addressed. We will return to NHS Ayrshire & Arran in the near future to carry out a further inspection based on our concerns.”
NHS Ayrshre and Arran has been asked for comment.
Scottish Labour’s Jackie Baillie said: “This shocking report on University Hospital Crosshouse has lifted the lid on the SNP’s continual failure to support our NHS.
“Despite the heroic efforts of NHS staff, patients are being put in danger on a daily basis due to SNP neglect.
“We cannot have frontline NHS staff feeling unable to raise concerns at work – they are the people who know best about how to care for patients.
“It’s high time that this missing-in-action Cabinet Secretary got back to work and tackled the crisis engulfing hospitals such as Crosshouse.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Patient safety is a key priority. We expect NHS Ayrshire and Arran to address any outstanding concerns Healthcare Improvement Scotland have identified as a matter of urgency, and will support them to do so.”
Scottish Conservative Shadow Health Minister Craig Hoy said: “This damning report is not a reflection on the dedicated frontline staff at Crosshouse but an indictment of the SNP’s desperate mismanagement of Scotland’s NHS.
“Humza Yousaf must urgently get a grip of the NHS crisis his party has presided over.”
Janet Stewart, Unison regional organiser, said: “There is a staffing crisis in the NHS Scotland, staff are leaving, the turnover of staff higher than ever, we have waiting lists higher than ever, and the NHS is facing real challenges to recruit.”
And she added: “On top of this, NHS staff have endured over 10 years of real terms pay cuts only to be told by the Scottish Government that, yet again, they will have to accept another below inflation pay rise.”
