Patients were put at risk at Fife’s main acute hospital last winter, health chiefs have admitted.
A surge in admissions and more delayed discharges at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy meant doctors were overworked and the quality of care reduced, sometimes so significantly that harm occurred.
In a bid to prevent a repeat of the crisis, NHS Fife and Fife Council are pulling together a plan to radically change the way they do things in time for this year’s peak winter period.
This will include assessing more people as they arrive at hospital and, if appropriate, arranging care for them at home or in the community.
The assessment of people considered medically fit for discharge will also be beefed up, while discharge lounges and hospital transport will be extended.
A number of new community physicians will be drafted in to support the initiative.
The move is expected to result in 100 fewer patients being admitted to hospital every week.
Fife Council is counting on the health board to provide £1.4 million to help them fund the extra community places needed to make the new process work.For more on this story see Friday’s Fife edition of The Courier or try our digital editionProfessor Scott McLean, director of acute services with NHS Fife, told a board meeting: “Last year we were significantly concerned around the quality of care we were able to provide. This year we want to do something different.”
A report to the board said that last winter an extra surge ward had to be opened to cope with increased admissions and was operating at full capacity.
“In addition, the day intervention unit and ear, nose and throat units were used in periods of extreme pressure where demand significantly outstripped capacity,” it stated.
The result was a very significant number of medical boarders and consultants over-burdened by the workload. Because of this, discharge processes were significantly slower, the number of delayed discharges shot up and quality of care fell.
The report added: “The proposed plan seeks to provide alternative solutions which include measures to reduce the number of emergency admissions and measures to increase capacity to provide rapid assessment and early supported discharge.”
Professor McLean said: “Rather than create extra space to put people into, we’re going to change how we process people at the very front end of the hospital.
“This, we believe, is the best option to get us through the winter. This won’t just be for the winter months. It’s the model of care for the future.”