Report on follow up visit to Ninewells Hospital

Background and Context

• BBC reported Wednesday 9 June that 2 whistle-blowers claim surgeons are being 'banned' from seeing patients in the Emergency Department of Ninewells hospital so the hospital can meet its waiting time targets.
• Health Secretary Shona Robison asked the Chief Medical Officer (Dr Catherine Calderwood), and the NHS Scotland Chief Operating Officer (John Connaghan CBE) to visit Ninewells Hospital on Monday 15 June 2015, to investigate these allegations. The published report on this initial visit provided 7 recommendations for action and improvement.
• On Tuesday 26 January 2016, Dr Catherine Calderwood, Chief Medical Officer, re-visited Ninewells Hospital to ascertain and review progress against the 7 recommendations identified following the initial visit on 15 June 2015.

Format of Revisit

The visit comprised of individual meetings with a multidisciplinary team from general surgery, general medicine and emergency medicine followed by meeting with the senior management team.

Findings

It was evident from discussion with the clinical teams that significant progress in key recommended areas has been achieved.

Following discussion with the Emergency Medicine Clinical Team it was evident that they had taken time to reflect on the content of the initial report and have viewed the recommendations as an opportunity to review how they communicate and collaborate with the receiving specialties.