NHS Lanarkshire sets up line for worried patients

Health Secretary Alex Neil ordered the inquiry by Health Improvement Scotland following concerns about higher than average death rates at Hairmyres, Wishaw and Monklands Hospitals.

It later turned out that the mortality rates at Wishaw and Hairmyres had been skewed by late statistic recording.

But at Monklands it was revealed that there had been 538 more deaths over the last seven years than would have been expected.

In its report on the quality and safety of adult care last week, the Health Improvement Scotland review team raised concern about nurse staffing levels and a reliance on junior doctors and locums.

It made 21 recommendations aimed at improving the quality of patient care at the three hospitals.

The government has now announced that an expert support team will work with NHS Lanarkshire to bring in the improvements and Alex Neil has made it clear he expects this to be done as a matter of urgency.

For more on this, see this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette.