Doctors could be pulled out of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary wards to plug a chronic shortage of staff at the city’s flagship accident and emergency department.
Consultants have expressed serious concerns to NHS chiefs that patients lives will be put at risk if vacant posts at the Emergency Care Centre are not filled within the next few weeks.
In a damning report put forward to Grampian’s health board, senior medics claimed they might even struggle to provide resuscitation in life-threatening cases.
The report was discussed at CLAN House in Aberdeen yesterday – with one consultant telling board members that they will not be able to provide “safe care 24 hours a day, seven days a week” if suitably qualified staff are not found.
Three out of 10 posts in casualty are currently being advertised following recent resignations at the high-pressure ward, while there is a worrying shortage of experienced training-grade doctors.
NHS Grampian medical director Dr Roelf Dijkhuizen told the board that although it was proving difficult to recruit, everything possible was being done to fill the gaps.
But he said a “Plan B” – pulling doctors from other wards – was an option if time runs out.
Last night, a leading patient group said it was “ridiculous” to take already overstretched medics away from other patients in need – and that the move could cost someone their life.
Margaret Watt, of Scotland’s Patient Association, accused the NHS of becoming “complacent” and letting the staffing situation reach a crisis point.
“Time and time again the NHS has been warned about the troubles of recruiting – I have no idea how we have reached this stage,” she said.
“We are now in a situation where staff will be pulled from other areas and many peoples lives will be in jeopardy.”
Dr Mark Mitchelson, a consultant in Emergency Medicine, told board members yesterday that it was impossible that staff would be found by August 1 – the date an appropriate number of employees need to be in place to provide an adequate level of care.
“The current situation is that unfortunately there will be gaps in the 24/7 presence of emergency care,” he said.
“At this stage recruitment efforts are ongoing and there are a number of strategies being looked at – but these will not be delivered by August.
“Without solutions we will not be able to provide safe care for our patients.”
Dr Dijkhuizen said NHS Grampian was on an international recruitment drive for doctors, with two international candidates recently offered jobs and interviews continuing this week.
He assured the public that it was not a crisis situation yet – and that he would not put any patient at risk.
“The department will be safe because it is our job to make it safe,” he said.
“If we can’t find the right people in time, we will make absolutely sure that doctors with sufficient expertise who are working elsewhere in the hospital will fill those gaps.
“There are discussions and negotiations to be had about how this will be done – we may ask doctors to come to A&E, but could also send patients directly to them.
“But my colleagues are all very keen to help and there’s a lot of goodwill.
“There is no crisis yet and we will do everything to make sure we won’t have one.”
North-east MSP Richard Baker said it would only be a matter of time before cracks started showing.
“If the situation we are in is taking staff out of one department to plug another, then this is totally unacceptable and inappropriate,” he said.