Latest news with #NHSTayside
The Courier
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Courier
Dundee records highest rate of abortions in Scotland as numbers rise to record levels
Dundee recorded the highest rate of abortions in Scotland last year according to new data. Public health statistics reveal 24.1 women per 1,000 females aged 15 to 44 sought a termination of their pregnancy in 2024. In total, NHS Tayside reported 801 terminations in Dundee. Across Tayside, the figure stands at 1,601. The health board has had the highest termination rate in Scotland in all but one of the last 10 years. Angus reported the third highest rate in the country, behind North Lanarkshire, with 21.8 women per 1,000 choosing an abortion. Stirling meanwhile recorded one of the lowest rates in Scotland at 14.3 women per 1,000, well below the Scottish average of 17.9. Perth and Kinross and Fife also reported termination rates below the Scottish average at 16.6 and 16.9 per 1,000 women respectively. Across the country the number of terminations increased to record levels. A total of 18,710 pregnancies were terminated in 2024 – a rise of 3% on the previous year. While the increase is lower than the 10% rise in such procedures in 2023, Public Health Scotland says that overall this was part of a 'sustained and substantial increase in demand for termination services'. Since 2015 the number of terminations carried out in Scotland has increased by 50%. Figures also reveal a decrease in termination rates in the wealthiest parts of Scotland. Public Health Scotland says that as a result 'inequalities in termination rates by deprivation have increased'. In the least deprived parts of Scotland, 12.2 women per 1,000 females aged 15 to 44 had an abortion – but in the most deprived areas the rate was around double that at 24.5. In almost three-fifths (57%) of cases in 2024 women took both drugs needed for a medical abortion at home. Only 3% of terminations involving surgeries. More than a quarter of abortions last year involved women aged between 20 and 24, with just under a quarter in the 25 to 29 age group. Meanwhile, 119 abortions – 0.6% of all such procedures – involved girls under the age of 16. Public Health Scotland says that over the last decade there had been a 'shift' towards more older women ending pregnancies. Women's health minister Jenni Minto said the Scottish Government would 'continue to work closely with NHS boards to continue to help improve access to abortion services for those who wish to have a termination'. The minister said: 'The Scottish Government notes the continued increase in the demand for abortion services and we are working to understand this increase and to take steps to address the issues behind it. 'It is right that women should continue to able to access these essential services in a timely, safe and equitable manner.' But Catherine Robinson of campaign group Right to Life UK said the figures were a 'great tragedy'. 'Every one of these abortions represents a failure of our society to protect the lives of babies in the womb and a failure to offer full support to women with unplanned pregnancies,' she said.
The Courier
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Courier
EXCLUSIVE: NHS Tayside estates chief suspended and escorted from hospital
NHS Tayside has suspended its head of estates amid an internal investigation – but is refusing to reveal the reason for the shock move. The Courier understands Garry Johnstone, a long-term employee who oversees the health board's property and infrastructure, has been placed on leave. Staff say Mr Johnstone was seen being escorted from Ninewells Hospital on Friday May 9, although the health board declined to comment on the incident or confirm any details. A spokeswoman said: 'We do not comment on matters relating to individual members of staff.' The Courier has verified that Mr Johnstone is not at work while the probe is ongoing. Police Scotland says it is not aware of any reports related to the matter. It is not clear what has been alleged or whether any wrongdoing is suspected. One NHS source said: 'No one quite knows what has happened but it is very unusual. 'Everyone knows something has happened but they (NHS Tayside executives) are saying nothing.' Mr Johnstone, who has risen through the ranks since joining NHS Tayside in 2004, was not at home when The Courier visited on Tuesday. A relative said he had gone on holiday. When contacted by email, an out-of-office message said his inbox is not being monitored. He was promoted to head of estates just over a year ago, placing him in charge of the health board's estate portfolio, including oversight of buildings, infrastructure and maintenance contracts. He was previously a senior estates manager. Dundee-based Labour MSP Michael Marra said the situation demands full transparency from NHS Tayside. 'This is deeply concerning news for staff, patients and the wider public,' he said. 'Suspension of a senior member of staff leaves NHS Tayside with serious questions to answer. 'NHS Tayside must ensure transparency and accountability are at the heart of its procedures.' Mr Marra has previously accused the organisation of a culture of secrecy, describing it as a 'fundamentally dishonest' institution. 'There are brilliant staff working really hard, but the institution has been beset by scandal after scandal because it has become a fundamentally dishonest institution,' he said. 'Instead of facing up to the challenges, what they have been concerned about is managing headlines for local SNP politicians.'
The Herald Scotland
19-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Cost of public inquiries in Scotland since 2007 rises to £230m
Some £666,949 of this was spent on staff, while £316,035 was spent on external legal costs. Patients of the disgraced neurosurgeon, who worked for NHS Tayside between 1995 and 2014, have claimed he harmed as many as 200 people, with some suffering life-changing injuries. The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which was announced in 2014 to investigate the abuse of children in care, remains the most expensive in the country, with a current cost of £95.3 million. READ MORE: The Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry, which is examining the Government's response to the pandemic, was announced in 2021 and has already cost £34 million. Meanwhile, the cost of the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry, which was announced in 2019, stood at £23.6 million as of December 2024. That inquiry is probing the death of Mr Bayoh, who died after being restrained by police in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in 2015. The costs of the ongoing Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, which is examining issues with the construction of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, have risen to £23.6 million. That inquiry was announced in 2019. The completed Edinburgh Trams Inquiry cost £13.1 million. The news comes as Holyrood's Finance Committee investigates the cost-effectiveness of public inquiries. MSPs could probe the role of legal firms and whether they have a vested interest in inquiries running on for years past their original finish date, and whether they have a conflict of interest in seeking to broaden the remit of inquiries, increasing costs further. Professor Sandy Cameron, the former chair of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, will appear before the Finance Committee on Tuesday. In a written submission to the committee, Professor Cameron said that part of the reason for the rising costs of inquiries was the difficulty in managing legal fees and holding solicitors to budget. He said: 'It has to be recognised that inquiries are a source of substantial income for some large legal firms and, as such, the question arises as to the extent to which they are motivated to keep costs to a minimum and within budget.' Costs can also increase if more victims come forward when the timetable of an inquiry is expanded. Professor Cameron warned the length of some inquiries risks the loss of public interest while adding pressure to victims seeking answers. She said there is also the risk of 'passion fatigue' for participants if they run on. He added: 'Essentially, we need to ask the questions what are inquiries trying to achieve and could they be done differently? 'If we were starting from scratch could we devise a process which was more effective and less costly?'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Two more maternity services in the UK issued with warnings this week
Two maternity services in the UK have been issued with formal warnings in the past week, with one set to be closed for half a year. Both Yeovil maternity services in Somerset, England, and Ninewells Hospital in Tayside, Scotland, have been issued with warnings from their respective countries' watchdogs. It comes amid a growing number of maternity scandals across the UK, with a report last year finding across NHS England were inadequate or required improvement. A landmark inquiry also found that good care for pregnant women is "the exception rather than the rule". Yeovil maternity services will close for at least six months after a warning from the Care Quality Commission, with women now being sent more than 25 miles away to Taunton. The closure comes after the CQC warned the services were failing to meet staffing requirements in the paediatric unit. The service will be closed from Monday at 5pm, and comes almost exactly a year after the maternity unit was rated "inadequate" by the CQC. The local Liberal Democrat MP, Adam Dance, called the closure "devastating". "They will be forced to use already stretched services tens of miles away and I, like many of my constituents who have already been in contact, are deeply fearful this could leave families in turmoil," he said. 72 hours to have labour induced In Scotland, NHS Tayside has been formally ordered to improve maternity services at Ninewells Hospital following an unannounced inspection. Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) first inspected Tayside in January, before returning a month later, after it raised a number of concerns, including that breastfeeding equipment was being cleaned in a sink with kitchen utensils. The latest report found some women faced delays of up to 72 hours to have their labour induced. It also found some staff were unsure of the location of emergency birthing medicine, as well as discovering that missing electrical leads meant only three out of five foetal heartbeat monitors were fully working. Read more: Donna Maclean, chief inspector of HIS, acknowledged that care was "compassionate" and "women we spoke with were complimentary of the care provided". But she added: "During the revisit, we were not assured that sufficient progress or improvement had been made with some concerns, and we formally wrote to NHS Tayside outlining areas of assurance required." 👉 👈 Every year, eye-watering sums are spent on maternity clinical negligence, including £1.1bn in 2023.
The Courier
12-05-2025
- Health
- The Courier
EXCLUSIVE: Dundee's Michael Marra launches astonishing attack on 'fundamentally dishonest' NHS Tayside
Dundee-based MSP Michael Marra has launched an extraordinary attack on NHS Tayside, accusing it of 'managing headlines' for SNP politicians against the interests of patients. Mr Marra claims the institution has become 'fundamentally dishonest' and needs to be more transparent about its challenges and mistakes. He spoke to The Courier as he launched his Holyrood bid for Dundee City West where he will take on an SNP majority, from the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, of nearly 13,000. SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick is standing down and will be replaced on the ballot by city councillor Heather Anderson. When it comes to local issues, Mr Marra says NHS Tayside would be his top priority if elected. He said: '[There is] brilliant staff working really hard, but the institution has been beset by scandal after scandal because it has become a fundamentally dishonest institution. 'Instead of facing up to the challenges, what they have been concerned about is managing headlines for local SNP politicians. 'The health board needs to be accountable to people locally. 'They need to be open and honest about the challenges they face, whether that be in the funding settlement but also the mistakes they have made.' Mr Marra says there has 'too often been a collusion between NHS Tayside, its previous management and SNP politicians' that has gone against the interests of the people of Dundee.' NHS Tayside has been hit with repeated cover-up allegations relating to the Eljamel scandal and the breast cancer care controversy. It also hit the headlines over multiple data breaches and the recent wage-theft whistleblowing saga. Mr Marra previously said there was an issue with the health board withdrawing services without informing patients. An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said its commitment to the people of Tayside was evidence by 'excellence' in areas important to them, including its best-in-UK compliance with the four-hour A&E target. She added: 'The board remains committed to having an open and honest dialogue with the population – and at the times where we are not getting it right, we will, and have, apologised and taken steps to make the improvements needed. 'Indeed it is the case that the board has brought forward a number of issues into the public domain in the past few years to ensure transparency with our population. 'The board and executive team also engage regularly face-to-face with our local MPs and MSPs to discuss key issues they have brought to us on behalf of their constituents, as well as advising them of our future plans for services at the earliest stage.' She said NHS Tayside would continue to support its staff to deliver safe and effective services and be open about the challenges it faces. Michael Marra – who has served as a regional politician for the North East since 2021 – says he has a 'lot of work to do' in the next 12 months. 'But I think over the last four years I have been a very visible and hardworking MSP. People locally will know they have got a Labour candidate who loves the city and loves the people,' he added. Among his other priorities is the ongoing crisis at Dundee University, where he worked before entering parliament. He added: 'Clearly the issue with the University of Dundee rolls on. 'I'm far from convinced that the government has got a grip of this, so I'm hopeful that a Scottish Labour government can contribute to that in 2026.' An economist by training, Mr Marra is his party's shadow finance spokesman and would likely take on a senior role in any Labour-led Scottish Government. But his party faces an uphill battle after First Minister John Swinney turned around the SNP's fortunes following its defeat at last year's general election. With one year to go, analysis by Ballot Box Scotland of the latest polling predicts the nationalists would remain the country's largest party with 58 seats. If repeated on May 6 next year, polls suggest Labour could be second with 22 seats and Nigel Farage's Reform UK third with 15 MSPs.
