NHS Tayside has been caught up in numerous controversies in the last two years.
This week we told how patients at a Dundee learning disability unit run by the health board were left living in flats that smelled of urine and were infested with rodents and ants.
NHS Tayside medical director Dr James Cotton said: “We’re very sorry that the Strathmartine units are not providing the kind of therapeutic accommodation that our patients need.”
It’s just one of several apologies the local authority has issued in the wake of a scandal.
1. Eljamel apology letters, 2023
NHS Tayside apologised to more than 100 patients last year after allowing disgraced surgeon Sam Eljamel to operate on them when he should have been suspended.
The health board allowed Eljamel, now working in his native Libya, to operate while under light-touch supervision between June and December 2013, when he was suspended.
A report criticising NHS Tayside’s handling of the situation revealed 111 patients “were potentially exposed to possible harm”.
Dr Pamela Johnston, NHS Tayside executive medical director, said: “I have written to the patients who had their operation between June 21 2013 and December 10 2013 to inform them about the findings of the review and to sincerely apologise on behalf of the board.”
2. Data breaches, 2023 and 2024
NHS Tayside has said sorry for data breaches on multiple occasions.
Last August staff were “raging” when their personal details were shared due to an administrative error, prompting an apology.
A month later the health board was embroiled in another data breach when paperwork for hundreds of patients went missing.
Details of people’s mental health and learning disabilities were contained in the documents.
Bosses once again wrote to those affected.
Then, in January 2024, a Perthshire woman was left devastated after a Ninewells employee twice snooped on her records.
NHS Tayside said sorry but refused to confirm whether the staff member still worked at the hospital.
A month later parents at Eastern Primary School in Broughty Ferry reacted angrily when the authority lost personal documents of P1 pupils.
The data – which was never recovered – included height, weight, names and dates of birth.
3. Handling of whistleblower concerns, 2023
Last August a watchdog found NHS Tayside failed to comply with government guidance during the Covid pandemic.
The Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO) upheld a complaint from a health board employee who worked in a non-clinical setting.
Bosses were also ordered to apologise to a whistleblower for shortcomings in the handling of their concerns.
A spokesperson said: “NHS Tayside has ensured there is organisational learning from the report.”
4. ‘Unreasonable delay’ in care of patient who died, 2024
NHS Tayside said sorry in March after an investigation identified an “unreasonable delay” in their care when a patient died following surgery.
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) found failings in the care of the individual following knee surgery.
The watchdog found NHS Tayside should have increased observations of the patient, escalated their care and commenced antibiotics sooner.
A health board spokesperson: “We have apologised to the family and our thoughts remain with them.”
5. Withholding heart medication, 2024
In May this year it was found NHS Tayside withheld heart medication from a patient, causing blood clots in their leg.
They were left with deep incisions in the lower leg, with their mobility significantly reduced.
The patient – referred to as ‘A’ in the watchdog’s report – was taking medication for atrial fibrillation, a heart condition affecting the rhythm and rate of the heart.
It included a blood thinner to reduce the risk of blood clots.
However, while A’s condition was being assessed, a decision was made to withhold the medication.
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) later found a series of failings in the patient’s care.
An NHS Tayside spokesperson said: “We are sorry that treatment and care in this case fell below the standard we would expect.
“We have accepted all the recommendations in the report and have apologised to the patient and their family.”
6. NHS Tayside van in disabled bays, 2024
In the same month, NHS Tayside said sorry after one of its vans was parked across two disabled bays outside Royal Victoria Hospital in Dundee.
Colin Brown, from Sussex, was visiting his elderly father when he spotted the vehicle.
He told The Courier: “You’d expect everyone to follow the rules and it’s just ignorant to park across the way they have.”
NHS Tayside confirmed it was looking into the incident at the time and apologised for “any inconvenience caused”.
7. ‘Woman’ omission, 2023
The health board said sorry last February for promoting cervical cancer smears without the word “woman”.
A pop-up clinic at Ninewells Hospital offered tests to “members of the public” who were overdue one or had never had one before.
It was hailed a great success after carrying out 65 tests.
However, the failure to mention the tests were aimed at women prompted a backlash.
Dr Emma Fletcher, director of public health for NHS Tayside, said: “The aim of the pop-up smear clinic was to make screening more easily available to women and anyone with a cervix, including vulnerable groups who we know often do not attend for their smear test.
“There was never any intention to make women feel excluded from health services or screening and we apologise for any upset caused.”
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