NHS Western Isles welcomes a visit from Scotland's Patient Safety Commissioner

NHS Western Isles was pleased to welcome Scotland's Patient Safety Commissioner, Karen Titchener, to the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway, where she met with staff and learned more about the delivery of healthcare services across the Western Isles.

Mrs Titchener visited on July 13 and was welcomed by NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, Gordon Jamieson, who provided an overview of healthcare provision across the islands. Discussions highlighted the unique challenges of delivering services in a remote and rural setting, including workforce recruitment and transport considerations, while also showcasing the organisation's commitment to providing high-quality care close to home.

Adam Macdonald, Associate Director of Clinical Services and Deputy Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals, provided an overview of community nursing services across the Western Isles. He outlined the vital role these teams play in delivering equitable care and treatment within local communities, helping patients access services without the need to travel or be admitted to hospital wherever possible.

The Commissioner also received a presentation from Janette Murray, Service Manager for Urgent and Unscheduled Care, and Gail Black, Integrated Front Door Service Project Manager, on the Integrated Front Door Service. Bringing together Hospital at Home, Urgent and Unscheduled Care, and the Acute Assessment Unit, the service is helping to reduce hospital admissions, enhance patient experiences and deliver person-centred care across remote and rural communities.

Following the presentation, Mrs Titchener toured the department, meeting staff and gaining a first-hand understanding of the environment in which these services are delivered. She was also shown the recently refurbished Emergency Department and learned about the close links between the two services and their role in supporting patient care.

The visit continued with an introduction to the Chemotherapy Team within the Ambulatory Care Unit, where the Commissioner heard about the processes involved in bringing chemotherapy treatments to the islands and safely administering them locally for patients.

The Commissioner also received a presentation on Mental Health Services from Emma MacSween, Chief Officer of the Integrated Joint Board, Ann Duncan, Senior Charge Nurse, Acute Psychiatric Unit, and Debbie Macrae, Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) Team Manager.  Ann Duncan provided an overview of inpatient psychiatric care in the Western Isles, highlighting the service's commitment to patient safety and wellbeing. She also outlined recent improvement works undertaken within the ward to further enhance the care environment and ensure the highest standards of safety for patients.

Debbie Macrae then discussed the delivery of mental health services within the community, emphasising the team's commitment to providing safe, effective, recovery-focused and person-centred care. She highlighted the strong focus placed on promoting independence, reducing health inequalities and supporting individuals and families throughout their mental health journey.

In the afternoon, Mrs Titchener visited the Maternity Department. Lyn Macdonald, Interim Associate Director of Women and Children's Services, together with members of the Maternity Team, outlined how they deliver an integrated and comprehensive service to meet the needs of families across the Western Isles. Discussions focused on the challenges associated with geography, workforce limitations and fluctuating demand, while highlighting the team's commitment to delivering safe and effective care.

The final meeting of the day was with Louise Sullivan, Head of Clinical Governance and Professional Practice, and Marina Macleod, Interim Risk Manager. They provided an overview of NHS Western Isles' approach to adverse event reporting, including the recent transition from Datix to InPhase, and discussed national patient safety initiatives and their local implementation.

Mrs Titchener described the visit as ‘genuinely valuable’ and said that she had come away with a real appreciation of how much the Board has built around the reality of your geography’.

She stated: “The combined AAU and Hospital at Home team, in particular, struck me as a genuinely innovative approach with the specialist practitioners working across both units, reducing A&E waiting times while supporting patients of all ages. It's exactly the kind of model I want to see reflected in any future national framework for Hospital at Home.

“I was equally struck by the resilience your teams have built around your dispersed population, from the CTAC service reaching such a high proportion of your community, to the emergency air transfer arrangements linking Barra and the Uists to Lewis, to the oncology team at Stornoway managing complex mainland supply chains and inter-island travel to keep chemotherapy on schedule.”

She added: “I'm also very conscious of the pressures underneath that good practice: the single-practitioner model in Uist and Barra, the vulnerability of ferry and flight links, and the social care vacancies that, as in every Board, are driving delayed discharge despite your community services doing everything they can to prevent admission in the first place.”

Gordon Jamieson, NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Scotland's Patient Safety Commissioner, Karen Titchener, to the Western Isles and to have the opportunity to showcase the dedication, innovation and professionalism of our staff.

“Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do, and we were pleased to share how our teams work together across hospital, community and integrated services to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care for people living in our island communities.

“As an island health board, we face unique challenges, but our geography also drives us to develop innovative approaches that enable people to access high-quality care closer to home whenever possible. It was encouraging to hear the Commissioner's recognition of the excellent work being undertaken across a range of services, including our Integrated Front Door Service, community teams, oncology and mental health services.

“We are grateful to the Commissioner for taking the time to visit the Western Isles, meet our staff and gain a first-hand understanding of both the opportunities and challenges associated with delivering healthcare across a dispersed island population. We look forward to continuing to work closely with national partners to strengthen patient safety and further improve services for the people we serve."