Infection rates are too high, waiting times too long
NHS Forth Valley missed nine key performance targets, according to their latest set of accounts
Scores in five of the categories, including tackling the spread of infection, were marked red, meaning “outwith acceptable standards”.
Four other areas, one relating to cancer treatment, were tagged amber, indicating they were behind target but within acceptable parameters.
Only nine of the 19 targets were classified green, meaning fully met. One was marked green/amber.
Five areas of greatest concern were: ● Healthcare-associated infections (including MRSA) cases averaged over the 12 months to March this year 0.34 per 1000 acute occupied bed days, compared with the target of 0.24 or less. ● Treatment time guarantee, which lays down that all eligible day case or in patient treatment has to start within 12 weeks of agreement to treat. In NHS Forth Valley this target was missed for 139 patients out of a total of 12,658 patients treated in 2015-16. ● Expected waiting time standard of less than 12 weeks for at least 95 per cent of new out patients was missed in Forth Valley, where only 84.3 per cent were being seen within that time frame by the end of March this year. ● 18-week referral to treatment standard being met in only 39.3 per cent of cases in child and adolescent mental health services in March of this year, against the 90 per cent target. ● 18-week referral to treatment standard being met in only 73 per cent of cases in psychological therapies in March, although the target is 90 per cent.
Among the areas where NHS Forth Valley was slightly behind target were staff sickness/absence rate and the target of seeing those referred urgently with a suspicion of cancer to begin treatment within 62 days of receipt of referral.
Another target missed was the number of patients waiting over four hours in A&E.
In her report on the shortcomings NHS Forth Valley’s chief executive Jane Grant said work to improve the hospital’s record on healthcare-associated infections was ongoing.
There had been 14 cases of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in the first three months of the year, which was the fourth quarter of continued reduction.
Regarding the treatment time guarantee, many of the cases were ear, nose and throat patients. Performance was said to be similar to elsewhere in Scotland.
Most of those facing unacceptable waiting times in out patients were in areas of trauma and orthopaedics, gastroenterology and ophthalmology. An action plan was in place to tackle the issue, said Ms Grant.
New staff have been recruited to combat problems in child and adolescent mental health services. While staff in that department who were on fixed-term contracts had been made permanent, there were still eight vacancies.
Treatment of patients regarding psychological therapies had been hit by retirals from the service. Recruitment of new staff had been speeded up and additional fixed-term sessions introduced, said Ms Grant.
Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford has written to health chiefs, demanding to know what measures are being taken to tackle the problems.
He told the Observer: “At this time of year in particular it’s important to recognise the hard work that nurses, doctors and all those working in our health service carry out the whole year round.
“While its encouraging to see NHS Forth Valley meeting the vast majority of targets, I will be writing to the health board for an update on what action they have taken to address some of the challenges highlighted in this report from 2015/16
“While Scotland has an NHS we can rightly be proud of, out-performing the rest of the UK on a number of key measures, I know the NHS is determined to do better.
“That’s why the SNP will increase health spending by £2 billion over this parliament to ensure that our vital health services are fit for the future.”
A spokesman for NHS Forth Valley said the majority of patients were seen and treated quickly but added: “Lke all NHS boards across Scotland, we experienced challenges in meeting a number of national targets during 2015/16.
“There has been a significant improvement in access to child and adolescent mental health services over the last six months and work continues to improve our performance in a number of key areas.”