NHS Tayside has admitted it has been “difficult” to staff its hospitals during the Easter holidays.
Due to the high volumes of annual leave booked by staff plus the usual sicknesses and absences the health board has been working hard to fill the gaps with bank staff and, as a last resort, agency workers.
It comes amid the continuing strike by porters at Ninewells and Royal Victoria hospitals in Dundee, which has put extra pressure on the health board.
There have also been claims disputed by NHS Tayside that the industrial action has led to extra expensive bank and agency staff being employed to fill portering roles too.
Unite union rep Graham Nelson said: “From Monday to Friday NHS Tayside are coping, as management are coming in to cover the porter shifts, but they’re not so keen coming in at the weekends. That’s when they’re really struggling.
“And in any case, having spoken to the public, they’re concerned that management are neglecting their own work to cover the porter shifts.
“You have to ask, who is doing the work of management?”
But NHS Tayside dispute the accusations and said that, as has been the case from the beginning of the dispute, “staff helpers” are covering the missed porter shifts and not bank or agency staff.
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said covering all shifts during holiday periods was “difficult”.
She said: “As with any holiday period, maintaining out of hours cover is always more difficult and this past weekend has been no exception.
“We have ensured that all shifts left without cover as a result of the porters’ strike are being adequately covered by staff helpers.
“Patient safety, care and treatment will always be our overriding consideration and our staff helpers, as well as the vast majority of staff who are working normally, will continue to deliver the highest standards of care to our patients at all times.”