Two top executives suspended by NHS Tayside over waiting times irregularities have been cleared of any deliberate wrongdoing.
Audrey Warden (50), general manager critical care, and her deputy, Derek Wilson, were asked to leave the board’s headquarters at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee last month after bosses were alerted to discrepancies in waiting times figures in an Audit Scotland investigation.
However, following an internal inquiry, NHS Tayside say the suspensions have been lifted after “no evidence of any deliberate instructions being given to any member of staff regarding the inappropriate use of waiting times codes” was found.
A spokesperson for the board said: “NHS Tayside is clearly disappointed that unacceptable practices have been identified in a small area of waiting times management.
“We very much regret that this has happened, apologise to patients and reassure them that we have put controls in place to ensure these practices have been eradicated.
“On the matter of the media reports surrounding the suspension of two members of NHS Tayside staff, we can confirm that, following a full investigation, those precautionary suspensions, which were non-disciplinary acts from the outset, were lifted on December 19 and the members of staff have returned to work.”