The care being delivered by doctors at a vascular unit which treats patients from across Scotland appears to be based more on their own careers and rivalries than on “safe patient-centred delivery”, a report has found.
The independent research was ordered by NHS Lothian after concerns were raised about the unit at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
The department runs a national service to treat patients with life-threatening aneurysms as well as providing treatment for other diseases in veins and arteries for patients in Lothian and Borders.
Vascular surgeons Tim Lees, clinical director of Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, and David Berridge, a medical director for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, carried out the report.
Their findings, which have not been published in the public domain, are reported to have uncovered a “destructive, toxic culture” and “forceful and at times aggressive behaviour” in the unit.
According to the Herald newspaper, the report found that clinicians were found to look for errors in each other’s work.
“These processes are taking considerable time and effort, and must be consuming time that could be more profitably applied to patient care,” the report said.
“The care delivered by this unit appears to be more based on surgeons’ individual careers and their dysfunctional relationships rather than on safe patient-centred delivery.”
The two consultants are also reported to have highlighted allegations of bullying concerning junior doctors.
Responding to the findings, Dr David Farquharson, medical director of NHS Lothian, said: “We know this report does not make comfortable reading, but as soon as concerns were brought to our attention we commissioned this external review of the vascular service to ensure that patient safety and good quality, person-centred care remains our top priority.
“Carrying out this review is evidence of our commitment to openness and improvement. We have been very clear. We will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace, and this approach is embedded in the values of NHS Lothian.
“We have also developed systems to improve the way we deal with poor individual performance at work and introduced a clearer system for escalating concerns about performance.
“The immediate actions identified in the report have been implemented and an expert steering group has been created to progress other recommendations as a matter of urgency.”