Surgeons have taken the “exceptional” step of writing to NHS Grampian’s board chairman to raise concerns at plans to cut the number of beds at the north-east’s flagship hospital.
Consultants fear the shake-up could mean they would be unable to carry out complex operations for cancer and heart problems and only provide an emergency service at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).
In a letter to board chairman Bill Howatson seen by the Press and Journal, doctors have claimed ARI is already at a “critical point”.
In the long term, fears were expressed that the extra strain could “destabilise” the system and undermine efforts to recruit and retain staff. A fortnight ago, the general surgeons committee was told that the general and vascular surgery units would be reduced from three floors to one as part of a reorganisation after the opening of a new emergency medical centre.
Consultant Kenneth Park said the number of beds could be reduced from 106 to around 60 or 70, a potential cut of about 40%.
On average, 50 general surgery beds are occupied for emergencies on any given day, he said. There could also be a drop in high dependency unit beds, a problem compounded by the provision of intensive therapy beds, described as “the lowest in Scotland”.
“This is already associated with an inability of some patients requiring critical care to access this level of care timeously,” Mr Park said.
“The general and vascular surgeons are unanimous in the view that the proposed level of bed establishment and reduced access to high-quality critical care will result in an inability to deliver anything other than an emergency service and is likely to negatively impact on our ability to operate on complex cases such as gastrointestinal cancer and major vascular cases.”
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said: “The design and configuration for these services has not yet been finalised.
“We are committed to continuing to work with clinicians and others to achieve the results which best meet the needs of our patients. The reconfiguration of ARI continues to be planned following the opening of the emergency care centre. The next stages will include the reorganisation of space to ensure more efficiency.”