Praise for NHS staff following visit to FVRH by health inspectors

Following a three-day inspection in March by a team from Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), the inspectors said there had been an improvement from previous visits – twice in 2022 and again in 2024, where concerns led to NHS Forth Valley being put into special measures by the Scottish government in November 2022. The move came amid concerns about “leadership,governance and culture”.

However, since then there have been noticeable improvements and a de-escalation on the government’s intervention.

The unannounced follow-up inspection of Forth Valley Royal Hospital in March 2026 was to assess progress made and inspectors returned on April 7 to follow up on a number of potential patient safety concerns that were highlighted.

These included improved compliance with paediatric immediate life support training, patient dignity and privacy, fire risk assessments and processes, safe storage of medicines and the safe storage of cleaning products and management of waste.

Speaking of the reports, Donna Maclean, Healthcare Improvement Scotland chief inspector, said: “We observed staff working hard to deliver patient-centred care. Staff described a visible senior hospital management team and felt able to raise concerns.

“Patients and relatives were complimentary about their care and the staff providing it. Despite increased hospital capacity, the areas inspected were calm and well-led with teams working together to provide compassionate care.

“We observed improvements to the management of mealtimes, maintenance of the healthcare environment and the cleanliness of patient care equipment.”

Inspectors found two areas of good practice: patients were receiving assistance to carry out hand hygiene prior to mealtimes and being assisted with meals; and safety and capacity huddles were inclusive, with staff being observed to raise concerns regarding staffing and safety.

The issue of capacity pressures leading to contingency beds being placed in side rooms or a fifth bed added to a four-bed room is still regularly taking place, according to the inspectors.

Their report states: “We observed contingency beds were placed within treatment rooms in clinical areas or an additional bed was added to a four bedded bay. On some of the wards inspected up to five additional patients were accommodated using contingency beds. This remains consistent with previous inspection findings.

"HIS does not support the use of contingency beds and beds within non standard care areas such as treatment rooms and corridors, however, we acknowledge the need to reduce the serious pressures on services at times of increased capacity and emergency admissions.

"Where there is a requirement for the use of contingency beds NHS boards must ensure that patient safety, privacy, and dignity is not compromised.”

However, they also noted that there was one ward where all ten beds were contingency and there was no funding to staff them, therefore staff from the neighbouring stroke ward had to be called on.

“Staff reported that this can affect the availability of a thrombolysis nurse from the stroke ward to attend the emergency department to deliver thrombolysis treatment,” said the inspectors, noting

patients requiring thrombolysis intervention were often transferred to the intensive care unit.

Thrombolysis is a time-critical emergency treatment for acute ischaemic stroke.

During the inspection, a visit to the clinical assessment unit found several patients who raised concerns to inspectors regarding the length of time they had been sitting on rigid high back chairs. Some patients had been there for over 23 hours and said they were “extremely uncomfortable”.

Inspectors spoke to senior managers who have since ordered a number of recliner chairs for the unit.

Prof Karen Goudie, NHS Forth Valley’s executive nurse director, said: “The inspectors highlighted the work of local staff to deliver patient-centred, compassionate care and noted the areas they inspected were calm and well led despite being very busy. They also found that hospital teams were working well together with visible senior hospital management and a culture where staff felt able to raise any concerns.

“However, they also highlighted some areas for improvement and work is already underway to address the recommendations and requirements outlined in the report. Good progress has been made over the last few months to increase training, strengthen the monitoring of any patients being cared for in contingency beds and further improve existing infection prevention and control measures.

“We welcome the feedback from the inspection team and will continue to work with Health Improvement Scotland, local staff and patients to further strengthen and improve local services and support.”