Dr Gray’s Hospital ‘radical rethink’ plans approved at NHS Grampian board meeting

A “radical rethink” of Dr Gray’s Hospital is needed, an NHS Grampian Board Meeting has heard, as plans to make the hospital a “vibrant place to work” have faltered over cash pressures and recruitment difficulties.

The meeting saw board members agree to draw up a new plan, which could lead to “service change”.

The report, named Dr Gray’s Hospital Strategy Planning, said the hospital is a “valued anchor organisation for Moray, a treasured local resource and an important asset for NHS Grampian”.

However, it adds that the hospital is facing “significant challenges to sustainability”, including financial struggles and recruitment difficulties.

The board unanimously backed the plan to create a revised draft implementation plan for the strategy, to be presented to the board after three months.

“That may include options for service change, and will describe the stakeholder engagement that would need to be done to help shape and make any of those changes meaningful,” NHS Grampian’s business manager Christina Cameron added.

“It will also indicate what programme and resource would be necessary to undertake any such proposed change.”

Some board members, however, raised concerns during the meeting over whether the three-month time frame would be too short to prepare a new plan.

The meeting report includes a statement from NHS Grampian Chief Executive Adam Coldwells confirming that, despite ongoing efforts, the current plan was “not going to ultimately result in a safe, effective, high quality and sustainable” future at Dr Gray’s.

It adds: “We are at a critical juncture and a radical re-think is required.

“However, I do not want this to be misinterpreted, so to be very clear, I remain absolutely and sincerely committed to DGH as a core part of NHS Grampian’s infrastructure and services.

“Neither do I mean all that is contained in the current DGH Strategy will not be part of the future plan for DGH but that we need to reassess our approach.”

The report also highlights that Dr Gray’s Hospital has the second-highest rate of road traffic casualties in Scotland, that the proportion of those facing health inequalities in Moray is nearly double the Scottish average.

It also recognises “vocal community concerns regarding the future of local hospital services”.

Along with a £10 million overspend, the report lists a number of “challenges” facing the hospital.

The report adds that “letters of concern” had been received from Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the Scotland Deanery, and that efforts to reduce the number of medical locums and agency staff remained a challenge.

It also lists the “effect of anticipated consultant retirals on sustainability of some speciality services”, along with “challenges in sustaining the maternity model as instructed”.

Ms Cameron said the 2023 strategy aimed to make Dr Gray’s Hospital a “vibrant place to work and to deliver high-quality services for our citizens”.

She added: “However, at an operational level, we see indicators that this destination of an exciting future for Dr Gray's is challenged.”

Cash problems had caused a “significant change in our operating environment”, requiring the strategy to be changed.

“Our assessment is that the strategy is still correct, but the factors I've described there mean that we need to re-look at the implementation plan,” she said.

“And what can also be noted is that there is an appetite in our leadership for radical thinking, for reassessing our approach to success.

“Which is to say that our destination may remain the same, but we do believe at this point that we need to readjust the route that we take.

“So, the commitment to Dr Gray's as a vital, integral part of the NHS Grampian whole system remains as clear as it is set out in the strategy.

“We know that there is an appetite for pace in this work to reset that course.”

Board member Joyce Duncan said: “I think that the change in the delivery plan is vital, and I'm pleased to see that the assessments of the challenges are very realistic, one of my favourite words of today.

“Because I think we need to ensure that the staff have confidence in their new plan going forward, because I don't believe there has been that cultural confidence in the plans that have been around for the last few years.

“And if they have that, and they believe it's something they can deliver and can be proud of delivering, we have a greater chance.

“And I think it's absolutely vital that we do it without the locums, the agency staff and the hundreds of new staff that potentially were needed for some of the proposed models we've seen in the past.”

While Sandy Riddell said: “We have to keep up the momentum.

“And I think everyone locally in Moray would expect that to happen.

“But I think what's been suggested is really, really positive, and I really do look forward to hearing what's envisaged.”