Patients lying in own faeces and urine due to lack of staff

A nurse at the hospital has alleged that senior management at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are "putting budgets before the safety of patients" by refusing to take on temporary 'bank' staff to cover shifts.

We've been told the situation is leaving patients and their families distressed - and that it's having a "soul-destroying" effect on staff morale.

(Image: Archive)

A spokesperson for the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board has today said the organisation did not recognise the issues our source described. 

The source, who the Telegraph has agreed not to identify, said: "Patients who may require hand-held assistance to the bathroom are not being attended to quick enough. Then they become incontinent and begin feeling ashamed and embarrassed.

"This promotes a lack of trust in the staff and sometimes they can become agitated and abusive.

"This can result in harm to a patient when they take themselves to the bathroom when they may need assistance with mobility."

She added that patients are not being provided with the proper level of care and dignity.

Our source described a scenario of wards of 30 patients operating with two or three trained nurses and three auxiliaries regardless of the dependency and the acute nature of people's conditions.

The staff member added: "Just recently, night wards have worked with two nurses and one auxiliary.

"It is unethical and unsafe. However, the budget is the biggest priority.

"Yet if the budget would allow for additional staff, patients and families may have more faith in the staff looking after their loved ones."

Our source said clinical lead managers are refusing to sanction taking on extra staff to cover shifts, even though senior medical staff are highlighting what they believe to be dangerously low staffing levels.

She claims shortages in acute medical wards, where patients could be suffering from dementia, respiratory and diabetes issues, has been a problem over the last three or four months.

(Image: public)

She said: "It's affecting staff morale. It's soul-destroying.

"Staff are very dedicated and want to care for their patients but they don't have the time.

"I know of three wards where loads of staff left, both nurses and auxiliaries, and people are off sick as well."

Other concerns raised by staff include mental health patients being admitted to general wards when they need one-to-one attention, an approach which means other patients aren't getting the care they deserve.

She said: "They are not seeing a psychiatric nurse quick enough and everyone else is suffering."

The Tele has also been shown photographs suggesting that parts of the building itself are not fit for purpose.

Our source continued: "There are leaking windows, with boxes lined up along window sills to catch water, with towels beneath on floors.

The Tele's source sent us photos indicating that boxes are being put out to catch water ingress from leaking windows at the IRH. (Image: public)

"It's disgraceful that there are patients at the end of life, patients with respiratory diseases in damp, wet conditions.

"These issues break infection control policy. The walls cannot be cleaned properly due to the the fact they are crumbling underneath. That creates health and safety issues regarding trip hazards for vulnerable patients with walking aids, as well as for staff.

"When staff confronted higher management, their solution was to place bed patients within that room as they wouldn't be walking around.

"That attitude is disgusting coming from individuals from a health care background.

"These problems run throughout the hospital. A&E has water dripping from roofs when patients are receiving emergency treatment.

"Many wards don't even have access to fully functioning shower rooms due to the flooding and drainage. This has seen patients having to go into other rooms to shower."

When contacted by the Telegraph about our source's comments, Labour councillor Francesca Brennan, who is the convenor of the council's social work and social care scrutiny panel, laid the blame at the feet of the Scottish National Party. 

She said: "These reports are deeply concerning and raise serious questions about the SNP’s approach to workforce planning and the impact their dangerous incompetence can have on vital services here at Inverclyde Royal.

"Staff at our hospital work tirelessly to make the best of the resources they have and give the highest levels of care but these types of staff shortages mean that lives can ultimately be put on the line.

"The SNP needs to accept the high risks associated with short staffing in healthcare, properly support NHS staff and ensure that all services here in our hospital have the staff they need."

In response to the concerns raised, a spokesperson for the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde board said: "At all times, the safety and care of our patients alongside the wellbeing of our staff is our absolute priority.

"Our sites have safety huddles throughout the day, where issues relating to patient care and safety are prioritised.

"These frequent safety huddles support prompt escalation of any risks and facilitate the appropriate movement of our nursing workforce, where necessary,  to support high priority areas.

"We do not recognise the issues described about patient care, and no complaints of this nature have been raised by patients or their family members, or staff.

"For patients who require one-to-one care, all efforts are made to support this.

"In the event of unplanned absences such as sickness, support is sought from other areas of the hospital and bank nursing requests are agreed to. 

"We would encourage any member of staff who has concerns about staffing or patient care to discuss this with their line manager so that we can continue to support them.

"Maintenance and improvement works are carried out at our hospitals, including Inverclyde Royal Infirmary, within our revenue and capital budgets.  

"Any repairs identified as high risk are prioritised for remedial works. These are continually assessed and managed throughout the year within the budget. 

"Our facilities teams offer a 24/7 service and work hard to continually maintain our sites including Inverclyde Royal Hospital."