Latest news with #NHSGrampian
STV News
5 days ago
- Health
- STV News
Patient died from stroke after GP practice stopped blood thinning medication
A patient died from a stroke after a GP practice stopped their prescription for a blood thinning medication. The NHS Grampian practice has been ordered to apologise to the family of the patient, after there was a lack of communication about the decision to halt the medication given to their late parent. The family made a complaint to The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), who took advice from an independent GP advisor. It was found there were 'clear indications' for the patient to be on blood thinners, which is an anticoagulant medication, and that it was 'unreasonable' for the medication to be stopped without a replacement in place. It added the decision to stop the medication was not 'fully informed' and that the GP practice did not undertake timely blood tests. Failings were found around the administration of blood tests, while communication with the patient's family and relevant specialists did not happen in a timely manner. The SPSO added a Significant Adverse Event Review (SAER) carried out by the GP practice was not in line with relevant national guidance. The complaint made by the patient's family was upheld by the SPSO. The watchdog ordered the GP practice to apologise to the patient's family for the failings identified in its report. It also set out a series of recommendations to make things right in future, including appropriate blood tests carried out in line with relevant guidance when anticoagulant medication is stopped or replaced, with test results appropriately actioned. Patients should also be assessed prior to the stopping of anticoagulation medication with appropriate consideration given to the risks and communication sought with relevant specialists and family members prior to a decision being reached. The GP practice was asked to provide evidence of the implementation of recommendations set out in the report by a deadline set by SPSO. NHS Grampian has been contacted for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish NHS board's £269,000 pest control spend revealed
The figures, which were obtained by the Scottish Conservatives, found that pest control spending has risen year-on-year, from £47,000 in 2021/22 to £103,000 last year. During the four year time frame, 499 incidents involving 'crawling insects' were logged, as well as 178 reports of 'rodents', 128 reports of 'flying insects', and 461 reports of 'birds'. Money was also spent on cleaning up after 7 foxes, 9 bats, and 3 rabbits. Affected health care facilities included Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin, Woodend and Cornhill Hospitals in Aberdeen, and a number of smaller institutions across Aberdeenshire and Moray. Scottish Conservative MSP Alexander Burnett said: 'Dedicated NHS staff should not be forced to work in ageing, crumbling infested buildings that are putting the safety of themselves and their patients at risk. 'In people's hour of need, they should be safe from bugs and rodents roaming around freely in wards.' Read more: 'A grim reality': Glasgow City Council spent £106m to house homeless last year Scottish NHS board could face Court of Session over 'terrible' delays First Minister John Swinney to meet with Donald Trump during Scottish holiday Mr Burnett, who represents Aberdeenshire West in Holyrood, added: 'These repeated pest control call-outs are costing NHS Grampian a fortune, at a time when it is struggling to keep the lights on as it is. 'This substantial increase come at a time when the Scottish Government shamefully froze all new NHS building projects for two years, which has had a hugely detrimental impact on the North East. 'The Scottish Government must urgently give NHS Grampian the resources it needs to improve the North East estate and to ensure our hospitals are safe and clean.' The health board declared a 'critical incident' last November, due to 'extreme pressure' on Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, the area's largest hospital. During the incident, which lasted for a day, ambulance patients were diverted to other hospitals outside their area. NHS Grampian has been contacted for comment.
BBC News
23-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
NHS Grampian: New chief executive to lead struggling health board
A new chief executive has been appointed by NHS Grampian, as the health board faces significant financial challenges. Laura Skaife-Knight, who is currently in a similar role at NHS Orkney, will take up the role when interim boss Dr Adam Coldwells retires in the Grampian is trying to implement £23m in savings amid a huge overspend. The health board had been escalated to stage four of NHS Scotland's National Performance Framework over concerns about its finances and governance. Ms Skaife-Knight has worked for the NHS for 20 years, including spending time in England. She said she was looking forward to joining NHS Grampian, and recognised the "immediate challenges ahead". The new chief executive will oversee a savings plan which includes services being stopped or reduced on public are also planned to a service providing spiritual, pastoral and religious care to patients, their relatives and carers and to Grampian has the highest forecasted financial overspend across NHS Scotland for the year ahead - despite it getting a Scottish government loan of more than £67m to tackle the health board's chairwoman, Alison Evison, welcomed Ms Skaife-Knight's said: "Laura joins us at a challenging time, but I know that as a leader and chief executive known for putting people first that she already recognises that NHS Grampian's talented staff and proven ability to deliver the very best care."
Sky News
19-06-2025
- Health
- Sky News
'Pioneering' new scanner used for brain tumour patients trialled in world-first
A "pioneering" new scanner derived from MRI technology could be used to track brain cancer spread and lead to improved treatment for patients, scientists have said. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian have been awarded £350,000 funding by the Scottish government to generate never-before-seen images of glioblastoma brain tumours. It is hoped the technology will improve treatment and quality of life for patients by investigating a new way to scan the tumours. Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumour with more than 3,000 new patients in the UK diagnosed each year. The University of Aberdeen said half of all patients die within 15 months of diagnosis even after extensive surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Field cycling imaging (FCI) is a new and specialist type of low-field MRI scan pioneered in Aberdeen and has already been found to be effective in detecting tumours in breast tissue and brain damage in stroke patients. It is hoped it can now be used to help brain tumour patients. Full body MRI scanners were invented at the Scottish university 50 years ago, but the FCI scanner is the only one of its type used on patients anywhere in the world. The FCI derives from MRI but can work at low and ultra-low magnetic fields, which means it is capable of seeing how organs are affected by diseases in ways that were previously not possible. It can also vary the strength of the magnetic field during the patient's scan - acting like multiple scanners and extracting more information about the tissues. The tech can detect tumours without having to inject dye into the body, which can be associated with kidney damage and allergic reactions in some patients. Those involved in the project will scan glioblastoma patients undergoing chemotherapy after surgery and chemoradiotherapy. It is hoped the research will establish that, unlike conventional MRI scans, FCI can tell the difference between tumour growth and progression, and "pseudo-progression" which looks like tumour but is not cancerous tissue, which could improve care and quality of life. The new tech was described as "another example of the pioneering work coming out of the University of Aberdeen", by the charity Friends of ANCHOR. Professor Anne Kiltie, who is leading the study, said: "If we can detect true tumour progression early, we can swap the patient to a potentially more beneficial type of chemotherapy. "Also, being able to verify that a patient has pseudo-progression will prevent effective chemotherapy being stopped too early, because it was thought that the tumour has progressed, thus worsening prognosis. "Providing certainty will also reduce anxiety for both patients and relatives and improve the quality of life of patients. "Importantly, having a reliable method to identify progressive disease will allow development and more precise evaluation of emerging potential treatments. This is of particular importance as patients currently have a limited choice of treatments for combating their cancer. Scotland and beyond."
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Aberdeen scanner study could improve brain tumour treatments
Scientists at the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian have secured funding to generate never-before-seen brain tumour images with the aim of improving of all glioblastoma patients die within 15 months of diagnosis even after surgery, radio and scans used to monitor a tumour's behaviour can be imprecise but it is hoped the Field Cycling Imaging (FCI) scanner - developed in Aberdeen - will give clinicians better £350,000 in support - from the Scottish government - will fund a trial which will be carried out on a group of 18 patients. MRI scanners were invented at the University of Aberdeen 50 years ago, but the new FCI scanner is the only one of its type used on patients anywhere in the can work at low and ultra-low magnetic fields which means it is capable of seeing how organs are affected by diseases in ways that were not previously can vary the strength of the magnetic field during the patient's scan - acting like multiple scanners and extracting more information about the new technology can detect tumours without having to inject dye into the body, which can be associated with kidney damage and allergic reactions in some team of doctors and scientists involved will scan glioblastoma patients undergoing chemotherapy after surgery and chemoradiotherapy. It is hoped the research will establish that, unlike conventional MRI scans, FCI can tell the difference between tumour growth and progression, and "pseudo-progression" which looks like a tumour but is not cancerous Anne Kiltie, chair in clinical oncology at the University of Aberdeen, who is leading the study, said: "We already have evidence that FCI is effective in detecting tumours in breast tissue and brain damage in stroke patients."Applying this exciting new technology to glioblastoma patients could give us a much more accurate and detailed picture of what is going on in their brain."If we can detect true tumour progression early, we can swap the patient to a potentially more beneficial type of chemotherapy."Providing certainty will also reduce anxiety for both patients and relatives and improve the quality of life of patients."Prof Kiltie's role at the university is fully funded by the charity Friends of ANCHOR through its Dream Big executive Sarah-Jane Hogg welcomed the "really promising" development and thanked donors and fundraisers for their support.
