This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jul/26/wales-hospital-dangerous
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| University Hospital of Wales branded 'dangerous' by surgeons | University Hospital of Wales branded 'dangerous' by surgeons |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Wales's biggest hospital has been branded "dangerous" in a damning report, which says patients are at risk because of increased waiting lists. | |
| The study by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) warns that people waiting for heart operations at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff are "dying regularly" and some children are also suffering because of delays. | |
| Other problems include: | Other problems include: |
| • Children being fitted with hearing aids because of a lack of time and resources to insert grommets to treat ear infections. | • Children being fitted with hearing aids because of a lack of time and resources to insert grommets to treat ear infections. |
| • Patients suffering complications because of delays in treating kidney stones. | • Patients suffering complications because of delays in treating kidney stones. |
| • A&E and intensive care units being "frequently gridlocked" with patients "often stacked up in corridors and ambulances". | • A&E and intensive care units being "frequently gridlocked" with patients "often stacked up in corridors and ambulances". |
| Bosses at Cardiff and Vale University health board said the "unacceptable" situation was now being addressed and they were looking at options to increase cardiac surgery capacity. | |
| An extract from the seven-page RCS report said: "The most prevalent complaint from the clinicians related to the inability to admit patients for elective surgery. | An extract from the seven-page RCS report said: "The most prevalent complaint from the clinicians related to the inability to admit patients for elective surgery. |
| "It was reported that there had been more than 2,000 elective procedures not scheduled because of lack of beds or cancelled in the first three months of 2013. | "It was reported that there had been more than 2,000 elective procedures not scheduled because of lack of beds or cancelled in the first three months of 2013. |
| "This has resulted in increasing waiting lists such that patients are clearly coming to harm. In cardiac surgery we heard that patients are regularly dying on the waiting list from their cardiac pathology, mostly valvular disease." | "This has resulted in increasing waiting lists such that patients are clearly coming to harm. In cardiac surgery we heard that patients are regularly dying on the waiting list from their cardiac pathology, mostly valvular disease." |
| The RCS report follows a visit to surgical departments by its public affairs board for Wales (PAB) in April this year. | The RCS report follows a visit to surgical departments by its public affairs board for Wales (PAB) in April this year. |
| It highlighted a "universal consensus" among clinicians that some services at the hospital were dangerous and of poor quality. | It highlighted a "universal consensus" among clinicians that some services at the hospital were dangerous and of poor quality. |
| Concerns were expressed about the perception that elective surgery was not valued by the Cardiff and Vale University health board. It noted claims that reducing elective surgery had been done to reduce costs – therefore meeting financial targets. | Concerns were expressed about the perception that elective surgery was not valued by the Cardiff and Vale University health board. It noted claims that reducing elective surgery had been done to reduce costs – therefore meeting financial targets. |
| The report also said that some services had been "effectively suspended", such as paediatric tonsillectomy. | The report also said that some services had been "effectively suspended", such as paediatric tonsillectomy. |
| "Children are now regularly being fitted with hearing aids because there is no ability to treat their otitis media with surgical grommet insertion," it added. "Patients are [also] suffering complications because of delays in treating ureteric stones by stent insertion." | "Children are now regularly being fitted with hearing aids because there is no ability to treat their otitis media with surgical grommet insertion," it added. "Patients are [also] suffering complications because of delays in treating ureteric stones by stent insertion." |
| And the study said the board's provision for urgent and emergency surgery was inadequate. | And the study said the board's provision for urgent and emergency surgery was inadequate. |
| "There was no adequate programme for the maintenance and replacement of theatre equipment with recent failures in the cleaning and sterilisation processes," it said. | "There was no adequate programme for the maintenance and replacement of theatre equipment with recent failures in the cleaning and sterilisation processes," it said. |
| "[And] there was concern the A&E department was failing to cope with the constant influx of patients." | "[And] there was concern the A&E department was failing to cope with the constant influx of patients." |
| The health board's chief executive, Adam Cairns, admitted the situation earlier in the year had been cause for concern. | The health board's chief executive, Adam Cairns, admitted the situation earlier in the year had been cause for concern. |
| He said: "We know we can do better and we have given priority to the issues raised in the RCS report. Some of the concerns identified in that document echo those raised by colleagues during our listening exercise earlier this year and work has been under way to address those. | |
| "In addition to that, we have developed a detailed action plan, working with clinical staff within the health board, to make sure we are addressing all areas and inviting the RCS to visit us again in September." | "In addition to that, we have developed a detailed action plan, working with clinical staff within the health board, to make sure we are addressing all areas and inviting the RCS to visit us again in September." |
| Cairns said a copy of the health board's updated action plan would be published online shortly. | Cairns said a copy of the health board's updated action plan would be published online shortly. |
| "One of the main areas of concern has been the pressure on unscheduled care, seen here in Cardiff and the Vale, Wales and across the UK, and the impact that has on other services," he added. | "One of the main areas of concern has been the pressure on unscheduled care, seen here in Cardiff and the Vale, Wales and across the UK, and the impact that has on other services," he added. |
| Cairns also said the first few months of 2013 were "a time of relentless pressure" on the NHS. | Cairns also said the first few months of 2013 were "a time of relentless pressure" on the NHS. |
| He told BBC Wales: "The circumstances that we found ourselves in, I think, are unacceptable, and we've got to make sure that in the future that we have a much better response." | He told BBC Wales: "The circumstances that we found ourselves in, I think, are unacceptable, and we've got to make sure that in the future that we have a much better response." |
| But he promised that steps had been taken to protect surgical beds for children's services. | But he promised that steps had been taken to protect surgical beds for children's services. |
| The RCS report comes less than a week after the Royal College of Physicians warned that vital NHS Wales services were at risk of collapse because of severe staff shortages. |