Patients in the north of Scotland with blood clots and artery disease are being forced to travel across Scotland for treatment after Raigmore Hospital’s only vascular surgeon resigned over safety concerns.
Bernhard Wolf stepped down from NHS Highland this month. In a Facebook post, he described the standard of care for vascular patients at Raigmore as “unacceptable”.
He acknowledged there is “no easy fix” but said he was speaking out to shed light on the issue.
“Being transparent and open is the first step,” he added.
Mr Wolf did not respond to a request for comment.
Raigmore patients face three-hour round trips
NHS Highland confirmed Mr Wolf’s resignation and that patients are being sent to other health boards for treatment.
The health board did not specify where patients were being sent, but the NHS operates vascular surgery teams in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
It is about 170 miles from Inverness to Glasgow – a journey that can take more than three hours each way.
“We are grateful to other boards for their support for those patients who require the most specialist intervention,” NHS Highland said.
“We recognise that it is not ideal for patients to travel for their treatment and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. The majority of patients will continue to be seen and cared for locally in Highland.”
To fill Mr Wolf’s position, NHS Highland has hired a locum – a temporary replacement. The health board said it is providing transport support to those who need to travel.
Surgery ‘complexity’ puts vascular safety in spotlight
Safety concerns are a hot topic in vascular medicine, which covers diseases affecting the circulatory system, including arteries, and veins.
According to the Vascular Society, the UK body that represents vascular surgeons, a single surgeon at a health board is not sufficient to cover the wide range of complex treatments.
A 2014 report from the Vascular Society noted that “many major arterial procedures often require a three-person operating team due to the complexity of the operations”.
Recruitment issues that affect many areas of the NHS are also being felt in vascular medicine, with a 36% estimated shortfall in surgeons, according to a 2021 Vascular Society report.
NHS Highland said its vascular service is being “reshaped” in line with guidance from the Vascular Society.
Edward Mountain MSP calls out NHS Highland ‘mistake’
Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain said the loss of Mr Wolf is “bad news for patients who may need treatment in a hurry”.
He added that in his nine years in the Scottish Parliament, he has never been contacted by so many staff, patients, and relatives praising a single doctor.
“It is clear he did an excellent job and was inspirational,” he said.
“I commend him for speaking out and for his service.”
The MSP, who successfully fought off bowel cancer a few years ago, also called on NHS Highland to respond to the concerns raised.
“At the moment, they seem unwilling to admit they have made a mistake,” he said.
You can read Bernhard Wolf’s Facebook post here in response to Mr Mountain’s video from parliament.
You can read what families who benefitted from Mr Wolf’s expertise have to say about his resignation here.
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