This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8106133.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Doctors warn of 'dangerous' care | Doctors warn of 'dangerous' care |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Junior doctors at a hospital in West Lothian have warned that a "disaster is brewing" because of a lack of staff. | Junior doctors at a hospital in West Lothian have warned that a "disaster is brewing" because of a lack of staff. |
| A letter signed by 17 medics, passed to BBC Scotland, said St John's in Livingston was overloaded, resulting in dangerous medical care. | A letter signed by 17 medics, passed to BBC Scotland, said St John's in Livingston was overloaded, resulting in dangerous medical care. |
| They said the volume of patients meant they were unable to treat emergency cases within government targets. | They said the volume of patients meant they were unable to treat emergency cases within government targets. |
| NHS Lothian said it had since met the doctors and all the issues raised had been addressed. | NHS Lothian said it had since met the doctors and all the issues raised had been addressed. |
| In a statement it said there were more doctors and nurses working at St John's than ever before. | In a statement it said there were more doctors and nurses working at St John's than ever before. |
| The letter listed a series of complaints and said the hospital had too few medical staff. | The letter listed a series of complaints and said the hospital had too few medical staff. |
| As a result, they said they were finding it hard to treat accident and emergency cases within the government target of four hours. | As a result, they said they were finding it hard to treat accident and emergency cases within the government target of four hours. |
| The doctors complained that meant cases were having to be dealt with based on how long patients had been waiting, rather than the seriousness of their condition. | The doctors complained that meant cases were having to be dealt with based on how long patients had been waiting, rather than the seriousness of their condition. |
| Clinical priorities | Clinical priorities |
| Andew Conway-Morris, of the British Medical Association's junior doctors committee, said such targets could lead to poorer care. | Andew Conway-Morris, of the British Medical Association's junior doctors committee, said such targets could lead to poorer care. |
| He said: "There is always a risk with targets being set which can distort clinical priorities. | He said: "There is always a risk with targets being set which can distort clinical priorities. |
| "So we have patients that need to be seen within a certain period of time and they are getting up to three hours 50 minutes and someone more unwell comes in. | "So we have patients that need to be seen within a certain period of time and they are getting up to three hours 50 minutes and someone more unwell comes in. |
| "There's a temptation to treat those who are about to breach the target rather than those who need care most urgently." | "There's a temptation to treat those who are about to breach the target rather than those who need care most urgently." |
| Claire Lynch, who has campaigned against the downgrading of St John's, said she was not surprised by the doctors' concern | Claire Lynch, who has campaigned against the downgrading of St John's, said she was not surprised by the doctors' concern |
| "It's sad that the people of West Lothian are being given a very poor standard of care and now staff are indentifying that," she said. | "It's sad that the people of West Lothian are being given a very poor standard of care and now staff are indentifying that," she said. |